[TYPO3] Fee for GPL and

Xavier Perseguers typo3 at perseguers.ch
Mon Aug 11 09:46:23 CEST 2008


Hi all,

AFAIU, extensions that use TYPO3 framework have to use the GNU GPL too. 
Is that true? That means that they are automatically open source. I know 
there will be changes for TYPO3 5.0 but for now I speak of the 4.x 
branch ;-)

According to the FSF (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html), it is 
allowed and encouraged to distribute free software for a fee. OK! But 
then the person who paid the fee is allowed to modify (or not) and 
redistribute it freely:

"Specifically, it means that a user is free to run the program, change 
the program, and redistribute the program with or without changes."

Does it mean that I may ask for a fee, and I am encouraged to but once I 
"sold" it, my customer is authorized to give it away? I could imagine a 
few people are interested in the code, they buy it together and in the 
end, I only have 1 fee instead of many. Did I missed something or is it 
so? Just to know :-)

Now, last point. What about a product such as Zend Guard 
(http://www.zend.com/en/products/guard/) that may encrypt the code or 
require a license to be renewed each year or that limit the ability to 
run the software on a single server, ... and the use of the GNU GPL. Is 
it compatible in some way? Which one?

Thanks

-- 
Xavier Perseguers
http://xavier.perseguers.ch/en/tutorials/typo3.html


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