About the Free Licence

florky · Post by **florky** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:03 am

Hi
I have one question,
I plan to put a forum on the intranet of my company
Just for helping my collegues to find out, which procedure must be used and when.
I would like to know if I can freely use this software, or if I must pay a licence for this?
Regards

transitbus · Post by **transitbus** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:10 am

it is freely useable. Not redistributable but freely customizable as long as you credit the source. So that means you can use it, mod it and link it just dont strip it of copyrights or resell it

pardon any spelling errors at 2am i no longer care

A_Jelly_Doughnut · Post by **A_Jelly_Doughnut** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:36 pm

transitbus wrote: Not redistributable

I think it is...as long as you include the origonal copyright, but that is besides the point.

florky · Post by **florky** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 12:04 pm

Ok so If it is a free licence I will do so, It will not be for business merchandising or something, just to create a community inside the company to help my collegues to find out what procedure is applicable with which documentation :p
for the moment we have a publisher web page, my collegue in charge for this make his best, but with publisher you cannot do what you want. and it is a program not very nice for web programming.
Anyway thanks for your answer
and since I found this software 2 weeks ago, I'm on it, applying mod everyday and tunning it ! it's very very funny

Keep doing such excellent software.
Regards

cstotes · Post by **cstotes** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 4:29 am

or resell it

PHPBB uses GNU GPL license right so then people can legally resell it as long as it has the copyrights.

"How do I make money on software if I can't sell my code?
You can sell your code. Red Hat does it all the time. What you can't do is stop someone else from selling your code as well. That just says that you need to add extra value to your code, by offering service, or printed documentation, or a convenient medium, or a certification mark testifying to its quality."
Source

Perhaps I'm misreading it?

Techie-Micheal · Post by **Techie-Micheal** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 12:35 pm

You are free to sell the code, and you are free to redistribute the code, as long as you follow the GPL ... Look at phpBBFM et al.

phpBB is free to use for businesses and personal use alike.

http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=131387

Reading the announcements forum before posting is a good idea.

strobe · Post by **strobe** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 3:02 pm

transitbus wrote: it is freely useable. Not redistributable but freely customizable as long as you credit the source. So that means you can use it, mod it and link it just dont strip it of copyrights or resell it

pardon any spelling errors at 2am i no longer care

I don't mean to stir up any trouble transitbus, but you cannot restrict GPL software in the manner you are stating (redistributing and reselling). Take the following section from the GPL:

When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not
price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you
have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for
this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it
if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it
in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things.

To protect your rights, we need to make restrictions that forbid
anyone to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender the rights.

One of the great things about the GPL is that you are guaranteed the right to redistribute the software (and you guarantee everyone else that same right as well). I am not looking to step on any toes, as I am a huge supporter of this community. That said, I still think it is equally important to uphold the sanctity of the GPL.

If the development team does not want this software to be redistributed or resold, I support them. However, under the GPL (which is the current license), anyone has a right to do it if they so choose. Therefore, to stop distribution of their software, phpBB would need to be licensed under something other than the GPL (as the GPL states you may not modify or ammend its terms).

Again, I am not looking to upset anyone, but I think that issue needs to be clarified. The GPL states that all users must be well informed of their rights. If we start deviating from that, all of the wonderful open source applications we have today would suffer.

-- Craig

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