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Selling services using GPLed software

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Nikola Skoric

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May 13, 2008, 4:23:10 AM5/13/08
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It seems to me that only case in which you are obligated to provide
sorce code is if you are distributing your application. But, what
about web apps with which you can make money without distributing
them. For instance, www.conquerclub.com is developed around phpBB3,
and www.travian.com is developed around phpBB2. And both of them are
making money with their software, but they do not provide their source
code. Is there any part of GPL forbidding that?

--
"Now the storm has passed over me
I'm left to drift on a dead calm sea
And watch her forever through the cracks in the beams
Nailed across the doorways of the bedrooms of my dreams"

LocalWords: GPLed software Organization Reply Followup Sarma

tov...@gmail.com

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May 13, 2008, 7:33:06 AM5/13/08
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On May 13, 10:23 am, Nikola Skoric <nick-n...@net4u.hr> wrote:
> It seems to me that only case in which you are obligated to provide
> sorce code is if you are distributing your application. But, what
> about web apps with which you can make money without distributing
> them. For instance,www.conquerclub.comis developed around phpBB3,
> andwww.travian.comis developed around phpBB2. And both of them are

> making money with their software, but they do not provide their source
> code. Is there any part of GPL forbidding that?

To my knowledge, there isn't.

The copyright mechanism deals with copying and distribution.

It's ok to become rich using GPL'ed software and make private
modifications.


Regards,

Tov Are Jacobsen

David Golden

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May 13, 2008, 3:02:21 PM5/13/08
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Nikola Skoric wrote:

> It seems to me that only case in which you are obligated to provide
> sorce code is if you are distributing your application. But, what
> about web apps with which you can make money without distributing
> them. For instance, www.conquerclub.com is developed around phpBB3,
> and www.travian.com is developed around phpBB2. And both of them are
> making money with their software, but they do not provide their source
> code. Is there any part of GPL forbidding that?
>

No. The "Affero GPL" [1] (see section 13) is an attempt to address some
people's concerns in that area, but is a different license to the GPL
proper.

[1] http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html

Nikola Skoric

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May 13, 2008, 5:43:12 PM5/13/08
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Dana Tue, 13 May 2008 04:33:06 -0700 (PDT),
tov...@gmail.com <tov...@gmail.com> kaze:

> To my knowledge, there isn't.
>
> The copyright mechanism deals with copying and distribution.
>
> It's ok to become rich using GPL'ed software and make private
> modifications.

Thanks!

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