110
votes
Accepted
If GitHub interacts with Git, and Git is licensed under GPLv2, shouldn't GitHub be open source?
3 reasons why:
According to the terms of the GPL, people accessing GitHub via the web is not considered releasing (or propagating in GPLv3 terms), and so GitHub is not required to share their source ...
- 27.7k
109
votes
What does "GPL with classpath exception" mean in practice?
First off, I Am Not A Lawyer. But I have studied many licenses and understand issues concerning them.
Second, I know this is an old question, but I think it still is a point of confusion and concern....
- 1,329
20
votes
Can you change code distributed under the MIT license, and re-distribute it under the GPL license?
Nothing to add to the explanations in the answers already given, but here are instructions for how to shape your source file headers (source):
2.2 Adding GPL’d modifications to permissive-licensed ...
- 353
18
votes
Accepted
Dual license with GPL and a closed source license
As the copyright holder, you can do whatever you wish with your own code. Nothing prevents you from closing your own source in your own projects, if you hold the copyright.
Use whatever closed-...
- 200k
14
votes
Accepted
Can I use some GPL code in LGPL project?
The combination of GPL code and LGPL code must be licensed under the GPL. If you want to use that code, you'll have to change your license, or refrain from using it. If the other project would want ...
- 135k
10
votes
When does a modification of GPL code stop being one?
When the court in the lawsuit says so. That is the ultimate standard by which decisions like this are made.
In your example of taking boilerplate code and plugging in your functionality, if the ...
- 51.3k
9
votes
Dual license with GPL and a closed source license
For open-sourcing your code for others to use, you're right that GPL will make sure that people can't create closed source derivatives. GPL will force them to share their derivatives under the same ...
- 191
7
votes
Accepted
If you manage a BSD-licensed open source project, how do you guard against someone illegally contributing GPL-licensed code?
One does not simply "guard against" illegal contributions.
You never accept blindly a contribution, and should have a process to vet contributions (including yours) for several kinds of ...
- 2,441
7
votes
Can I include a GPL v3 binary with my proprietary application if I prompt the user to download it at install time?
Not distributing the binary of the library does not shield you from legal risk. The question you should be asking is not "can I legally distribute a GPL v3 licensed library with my proprietary app", ...
- 1,263
6
votes
Accepted
Creating a private in-house application with Qt
Use of a software internally is not considered a conveyance by the GPL, so you wouldn't have to give source code to anyone.
The moment you decide to distribute your software to any third party, then ...
- 27.7k
6
votes
How to document a dual open source license?
In all cases, the README.md should contain a a SPDX license identifier:
SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause OR GPL-2.0-or-later
You can do it like that:
## License
This work is dual-licensed ...
- 587
6
votes
Using GNU GPL V3 on a project. Reuse and modify foreign code
The original owner is the copyright owner, GPL or not. Replacing his copyright notice with your own means you are making a fraudulent claim that you are the copyright owner. Apart from that it's a ...
- 46.7k
6
votes
If GitHub interacts with Git, and Git is licensed under GPLv2, shouldn't GitHub be open source?
In addition to the other answers, I would add that the FSF's views on when two cooperating programs form a single work are quite vague:
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#...
- 946
6
votes
Accepted
GPL with exception to use without publishing the source
You have some confusing terminology in there.
The GPL does not permit what you claim the library allowed you to do.
The LGPL (Lesser GPL, formerly Library GPL) does.
What it sounds like you are ...
- 18.2k
6
votes
For GPL, do trained neural network models count as source code?
The GPL is quite clear that its concern is with the distribution of the sources of a system in the preferred form of the work for making changes in it. Nobody develops a neural network by editing ...
- 110k
5
votes
Using GNU GPL V3 on a project. Reuse and modify foreign code
1) Could I use GPL V3 and my own copyright for the main project (with or without naming the other author)?
The copyright notice must include the other author, because they still have copyright over (...
- 18.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Is a project subject to GPL if the documentation is build with doxygen?
NO.
This is your code, you can tailor it to whatever you want. As long as you do not include any parts of the doxygen software itself, you are not distributing any parts of doxygen, so the GPL does ...
- 212k
5
votes
Accepted
What does AGPL v3 R-studio mean for code written on it?
This is covered in the GNU faq:
the copyright on the editors and tools does not cover the code you write. Using them does not place any restrictions, legally, on the license you use for your code.
...
- 27.7k
5
votes
Accepted
Can I include a GPL v3 binary with my proprietary application if I prompt the user to download it at install time?
To make sure you won't get sued, be prepared to prove that your proprietary application will also work without any GPL V3 components. Then no one can claim you made a derivative work. If you cannot ...
- 212k
5
votes
AGPL - passwords in code
Never ever commit secrets to source control. And by extension, never build a container image that includes secrets. Instead, secrets should be provided during deployment, e.g. as environment variables....
- 135k
4
votes
Bundling OpenJDK with a proprietary application allowed by GPL?
This is an important question, especially when you consider the fact that Oracle has changed their licensing and distribution agreements starting with Java 9, 10, & 11.
JDK --> Java Development ...
- 96
4
votes
What are the options for licensing a code project with "license soup" in the sources?
Given the license soup described above, can I even release my code under a single license, or should/must each part of it (mine and everybody else's) have a separate license?
Both. GPLv3 requires ...
- 212k
4
votes
How to license a minecraft mod applying some limitation on distribution of the mod?
I want to limit following:
Including my mod in the mod packs without my permission or link to the website (where I distribute my mod)
Distributing my mod on mod catalog websites without my permission
...
- 75.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Can I use `#define _XOPEN_SOURCE` in my commercial software source?
Yes, of course you can.
_XOPEN_SOURCE has absolutely nothing to do with open source. It simply indicates that you desire to use the interfaces defined by X/Open, specifically in the X/Open ...
- 18.3k
4
votes
Accepted
Does GNU GPL condition of reusing license apply to me too if I am the creator?
Say I will create an android app that uses the aforementioned GPL library. Do I need to publish it under GPL aswell? Does it need to have the source disclosed even if I am the creator of both o them?
...
- 104k
4
votes
Accepted
Do I need to make my code open source or buy a license?
Qt, unless you buy an exception, is licensed as LGPL. This means that whatever modifications you make to Qt has to also be released as LGPL. Your application, on the other hand, does not have to be ...
3
votes
Accepted
Package lacks of requirements of GPL license
If you know that the code is GPLv3, then you should also know that you are not allowed to file the serial numbers off of it and slap your own copyright and license on it.
If the original code is ...
- 18.2k
3
votes
Accepted
Can I license my Minecraft mod with WTFPL with heavily modified code from GPL licensed mod (having author's permission)?
In principle if you copy one line from a GPL or LGPL and distribute it you will be guilty of copyright infringement unless your software is distributed under (L)GPL. This is why they are called viral ...
- 5,148
3
votes
Accepted
Including a GPL-licensed library through a CDN
By calling into the Flickity library from your project, you are creating a derived work as far as the GPL is concerned.
However, this does not mean that your code must be under the GPL license as ...
- 75.7k
3
votes
Does extending GPL code make the new code GPL too?
What you want to do is to create a derived work. To do that you need permission of the copyright holder. If the work you want to modify is GPL licensed, then the license gives you this permission. You ...
- 46.7k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible