commercial use

bobjoe275

Can I use vanilla for commercial use? I will not distribute it, I just want to use it for my customer support forums. Vanilla will not be distributed or copied, just used. And if I do decide to modify it, does that change anything concerning the legality of usage?

dom

It's released under the GPL I believe, so, I think the answer is no. However, given my tiny amount of knowledge regarding things like this, I wouldn't take my answer without it being backed up (or confirming the license type and reading it)

jesusphreak

Actually, you can.

There's a common misconception about GPL licensing, with people often thinking that you can't charge for something released under it. That's actually not the case at all.

From the GPL FAQ page,

"Actually we encourage people who redistribute free software to charge as much as they wish or can. If this seems surprising to you, please read on.

The word ``free'' has two legitimate general meanings; it can refer either to freedom or to price. When we speak of ``free software'', we're talking about freedom, not price. (Think of ``free speech'', not ``free beer''.) Specifically, it means that a user is free to run the program, change the program, and redistribute the program with or without changes.

Free programs are sometimes distributed gratis, and sometimes for a substantial price. Often the same program is available in both ways from different places. The program is free regardless of the price, because users have freedom in using it."

Link

The only requirement is that you make source code available to anything you release, which I don't think you'll have a problem with considering what you are using it for. Hope this helps.

unfortunate

Interesting.. I had no idea that clause existed. I learned something new today. Thanks jesusphreak.

dom

Ok, in my mind I was answering "yes", and yet I see now that what I have typed appears to have been "no". Stupid fingers ^^

Mark

As long as the GPL notices in the code stay intact and it follows the rules of the GPL, you should be fine. There is also a great FAQ that may help you with any lingering questions.

bobjoe275

let,s just get this straight. no changes. commercial USE (not distribution). is it ok?

Greggman

actually the rules are you can change the code all you want, you just can't distribute the program without giving out the source including your changes. You CAN run the program with your changes for commercial purposes though. * use for commerial use : (yes) * modify and *use* for commercial use : (yes) * modify and sell/give away the modified program but not the source (no) * change the license (no) * require a different license for your changes (no) Of course given that this is written in PHP it's impossible not to give away the source anyway :-p

nathan

Do you have to reference Mark as the original creator?

Mark

yes

Minisweeper

unless you changed it absolutely enormously i'd say it was really very bad manners not to reference him somewhere... and whether you have to give the source away depends whether the forum is being hosted on your server and then whether your clients actually have ftp access, gregg

the aloha

mini, that isn't what gregg is saying at all. he's saying that once you have the files of most php programs, it is really hard to hide how it works. the normal end-user isn't demanding to have a copy of your files and sql db... they are just using the tool provided on the server as setup by the producer. the producer is the one who is slightly more furthermore, as a normal end-user, most people need not know the differences of licensure. it becomes more of an issue when you are a producer of the project or manipulating a software project. even then, most people are happy with the default ways that everything works... it is really ever an issue when you are actually hacking something in/about a project or trying to make money off of other peoples' work. i certainly appreciate that mark is willing to make vanilla gpl. most other board software is not (vbulletin) or pretends to be until they start to see money ( how invision sold out or how simple machines license lets lewis media keep the code their community is giving them). the gpl choices are phpbb and vanilla.

Minisweeper

what i was saying was that gregg implied it was impossible not to give the source out wheras if it remains on your server then it is possible not to. If the end user had ftp access to your server even if they didnt want it or care, they still inadvertantly had access to the source code in which case it would be impossible. I was merely pointing out that if you were *not* allowed to give it out it was possible not to do so but still allow clients to use it.

the aloha

but it isn't your source code, unless you are mark.

Minisweeper

which has what to do with the price of bread?

the aloha

since it is not your code to give out, unless and until you contribute to it (at which point it would be that part), someone is likely to have the code up for distribution somewhere. the users don't need to look at your use of the code in order to get the code. if you let them snoop around your ftp, than that is your open door. i don't have a cliche that sums it up nicely.

Minisweeper

i still dont see what you're getting at; i think we're defending two seperate battles here..?

nathan

@mark: ok. Very direct reponse. :D