[Typo3-dev] TER License Problem

[Alexander Langer]

Michael Scharkow wrote:
> That's got nothing to do with TER. An extension to TYPO3 is by 
> definition GPL

By what definition?

Definitely not the GPL definition, since an arbitrary extension
does NOT have to be placed under the GPL.  "arbitrary" means it doesn't 
share any Typo3-code, e.g. isn't derived from anything the Kickstarter 
produced.

Yes, Typo3 is covered by the GPL, but the GPL clearly reads "derived 
from", and extensions are NOT derived from Typo3 (i.e. they share code).
I checked that twice last time this issue came up on the German Typo3-list.

Extensions use Typo3 as a framework for execution, which can easily be 
replaced by third party software (if existent), e.g. Alex4, which might 
be commercially licensed and doesn't share any code with the original 
Typo3 codebase.  This is actually how and why BSD splitted from the 
original AT&T Unix distribution, but vice versa.

Typo3 does nothing more than providing an API for the execution of those 
extensions, similar as e.g. PHP provides an API for the "script 
language" PHP, and PHP was long-time GPLed software.

Extensions are the author's own work.  Authors are holders of the 
copyrights of the extension, therefore it's THEIR decision to put their 
extensions under GPL or not.  But definitely not yours.

Alex

PS:  Don't try to mix up the issue with LGPL.  LGPL is for libraries, so 
that binary programs e.g. written in C can _link_ (i.e. derive from, as 
they share source) with the libraries' code w/o being forced to use GPL 
theirselves.  Fortunately(?) PHP scripts usually don't come in binary form.