Licensing & marketing GWT components

[Antonio Leonforte]

Hallo,
we are developing a client-server grid component based on GWT, with
buffering, sorting, filtering, grouping and row/column drag&drop
functionality. Our primary goal is to use such grid to develop our own
end-user applications, but we are also considering to sell the grid as
a stand-alone, commercial component.

I have two questions:

1) Do we necessarily have to distribute the source-code of the grid
under the Apache license? By reading the GWT licensing, I understand
that the grid is not a "derivative work", because we have built our
grid ON-TOP of GWT, without changing/recompiling the GWT source code
in any way. Are we allowed to just ditribute the object code of my
grid component, and to charge for it ?

2) In case we are allowed to sell our grid, is it there a marketplace
focused on GWT-based components, or at least already containing GWT-
based components ?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Antonio Leonforte
http:\\livebase.blog.com

[Alex Gorisse [pleyo]]

Hello Antonio,

1/ It is "Open Source", You can do whatever you want, here you'll see
more information about the commercial use and distribution :
http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=56070&topic=10208

And here about the license and developpement :
http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/makinggwtbetter.html#licensing

2/ No Market place is actually open, as it is an open source
community, the interest is to sell a project, and maybe not a library
code. Moreover, I wouldn't see the interest to sell something like
that, because the code is open, and how would you sell open code ?

Alex,

http://code.google.com/p/dragmovedrop/

On Jun 7, 9:44 am, Antonio Leonforte

[mP]

Without being an expert on licenses such as ASL i would say you can
sell your software. A lot of commerical application servers use Apache
products without including the source code for the entire product. One
example I can think of is WebLogic with its embedded Apache Xerces (it
must be licensed using ASL 1 or ASL2). I think they also include all
the licensing txt and thats it.

On Jun 7, 5:44 pm, Antonio Leonforte

[Toby Reyelts]

Hi Antonio,

The GWT compiler operates by compiling Java source code for GWT components down to JavaScript, so as it stands, in order for someone to use your component, you must also provide them with the source. Our use of the Apache license, however, doesn't prevent you from licensing your own source code in any fashion you see fit. (Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and it's always advised to check with your own lawyer).

Here's a relevant FAQ:

http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=56070&topic=10208

If you believe it's important to be able to distribute your components solely as object code, I encourage you to file a request for enhancement in the issue tracker.

[Antonio Leonforte]

Hi Toby,
we would use the GWT compiler in house, and then we would distribute
only the generated javascript (as an obfuscated java library) along
with the java clases required server side, compiled as object code.
While I'm confident this is technically viable, I would like to have
an official feedback from the GWT staff that this would be also
compliant with the GWT licensing policy. Can someone help ?

By the way, the FAQ you refer to is all about end-user applications,
while the grid we are developing is actually a (super) widget for
developers.
Does it make any difference ?

Thanks.
Antonio Leonforte

On Jun 7, 5:13 pm, "Toby Reyelts" <t...@google.com> wrote:
> Hi Antonio,
>
> The GWT compiler operates by compiling Java source code for GWT components
> down to JavaScript, so as it stands, in order for someone to use your
> component, you must also provide them with the source. Our use of the Apache
> license, however, doesn't prevent you from licensing your own source code in
> any fashion you see fit. (Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and it's always
> advised to check with your own lawyer).
>
> Here's a relevant FAQ:
>
> http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=56070&topic=10208
>
> If you believe it's important to be able to distribute your components
> solely as object code, I encourage you to file a request for enhancement in
> the issue tracker.
>

[Toby Reyelts]

Hi Antonio,

Again, I am not an official legal advisor, but the JavaScript translation of your program produced by the GWT compiler is owned by you, not by Google. You are free to put whatever license you wish on that, similar to the way that object code output from GCC is not GPL.