Comments on: Why GPL? Or: How the GPL eats the kittens it protects http://bassistance.de/2008/09/02/why-gpl-or-how-the-gpl-eats-the-kittens-it-protects/ Jörn Zaefferer on Bass, Geeks and Rock'n'Roll Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:33:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jaro http://bassistance.de/2008/09/02/why-gpl-or-how-the-gpl-eats-the-kittens-it-protects/comment-page-1/#comment-158851 jaro Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:20:43 +0000 http://bassistance.de/?p=264#comment-158851 What people sometimes do not realize is that GPL license only covers the acts of copying, distribution, modification and under some condition running (if program output can be considered "work" - probably another program, but not data) of program. So you are safe with usage of GPLed libraries for commercial purposes, as long as you don't need to distribute any part of the GPLed library. If you need to distribute your work using GPLed library, then the library cannot be part of the distribution, but may be downloaded by some automatic script from the internet. Of course you may use GPLed libraries for internal company applications. They don't need to be distributed, and you may even charge customers for using your application based on GPL in this way. What people sometimes do not realize is that GPL license only covers the acts of copying, distribution, modification and under some condition running (if program output can be considered “work” – probably another program, but not data) of program.

So you are safe with usage of GPLed libraries for commercial purposes, as long as you don’t need to distribute any part of the GPLed library. If you need to distribute your work using GPLed library, then the library cannot be part of the distribution, but may be downloaded by some automatic script from the internet.

Of course you may use GPLed libraries for internal company applications. They don’t need to be distributed, and you may even charge customers for using your application based on GPL in this way.

]]> By: Alan Knowles http://bassistance.de/2008/09/02/why-gpl-or-how-the-gpl-eats-the-kittens-it-protects/comment-page-1/#comment-134497 Alan Knowles Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:54:35 +0000 http://bassistance.de/?p=264#comment-134497 While everyone has the right to decide on their licence, what annoyed alot of people about ExtJs's changes was that it was more of a bait and switch.. Gather a large community based on the code being BSD, then LGPL style, then switch it to GPL and force everyone to pay.. - for something they have help build. Which is why forking ExtJS (see. roojs) was the only option for those dependant on it. While everyone has the right to decide on their licence, what annoyed alot of people about ExtJs’s changes was that it was more of a bait and switch.. Gather a large community based on the code being BSD, then LGPL style, then switch it to GPL and force everyone to pay.. – for something they have help build. Which is why forking ExtJS (see. roojs) was the only option for those dependant on it.

]]> By: Kevin H http://bassistance.de/2008/09/02/why-gpl-or-how-the-gpl-eats-the-kittens-it-protects/comment-page-1/#comment-134432 Kevin H Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:40:18 +0000 http://bassistance.de/?p=264#comment-134432 I think the article is very well written. After seeing how apache projects end up in commercialware time and time again, and at prices that are mind blowing for enterprise usage, the more interested I've become with GPL projects. I have found that GPL projects have a lower price points than apache projects when comparing their commercial counterparts. This lower barrier to entry for commercial endevours is very nice. I would have to pay 3x in a support contract for an apache licensed software than an equivalent commercial license with support from a GPL vendor. From an Enterprise (commercial) point of view, I'd rather see a GPL offering than an apache offering. I think the article is very well written. After seeing how apache projects end up in commercialware time and time again, and at prices that are mind blowing for enterprise usage, the more interested I’ve become with GPL projects. I have found that GPL projects have a lower price points than apache projects when comparing their commercial counterparts. This lower barrier to entry for commercial endevours is very nice. I would have to pay 3x in a support contract for an apache licensed software than an equivalent commercial license with support from a GPL vendor. From an Enterprise (commercial) point of view, I’d rather see a GPL offering than an apache offering.

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