[wplug] GNU GPL License

[Michael Semcheski]

On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 6:38 PM, Bruno Pierri Galvao <vendicate at gmail.com>wrote:

> If my code modifications have bugs then that is a major security risk so I
> would have to keep my code modifications closed under a company copyright
> license. How can I do this? I was talking to a friend and he said that there
> is a fine line, one can add code in a way that does not affect the GPL code
> and therefore does not have to be filed under that license. Would you know
> of such a way?
>

If the bugs are there, then a copyright is not going to keep your data
secure.

If you are using code that was licensed to you under any license, then you
don't have a copyright on it.  And the modifications you make to it do not
make it a new piece of code that you have a copyright to.

But based on the nature of your, I would highly recommend you look into the
basics of how copyright and licensing works.

Mike


> -thanks
> bruno
>
> On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 6:01 PM, Yaakov Nemoy <loupgaroublond at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> 2009/10/13 Bruno Pierri Galvao <vendicate at gmail.com>:
>>
>>  If I would like to start an online business and not reinvent the wheel,
>>> then
>>> could I use a GPL Licensed work with my own added modifications?
>>>
>>> For example, if I think I can create a better version of eBay and there
>>> is a
>>> GPL licensed eBay look-alike script. Could I take this script, add
>>> modifications and start a business? Of course the code would be unseen to
>>> the public for security reasons but if one were to investigate the code
>>> then
>>> they would see that we have left the GNU GPL copyrights in the code and
>>> copyrighted our modifications.
>>> I am confused.
>>>
>>
>> The simple answer is yes. The GPL covers the copying and redistribution of
>> the binaries and/or the source code. It does not cover use of the software,
>> which is more or less how web applications and other services are looked at.
>> If your business model included selling this code to other parties, you
>> would have to include the source code.
>>
>> The better question though is how do you want to interact with the
>> upstream? There's a good chance you'll find a bug in the original project
>> that you will want to fix. Some bugs will affect your add on code, but some
>> bug fixes might be useful to anyone who uses the original GPL code. Sending
>> the fixes to the upstream developers will help you build a better
>> relationship with the upstream people. They may be sympathetic to your goals
>> too. In the end, when they also make fixes, you'll be able to benefit from
>> it. There are alot of benefits to doing this.
>>
>> (This is assuming there is an active upstream, of course. But it's just
>> something to think about before you do business with GPL software. There are
>> good ways to do it, and there are really awesome ways to do it.)
>>
>> Best of luck with your business venture.
>>
>> -Yaakov
>>
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