Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

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Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

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exrace

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Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

« on: June 17, 2007, 01:03:37 AM »

Any changes regarding the announcement over at the Joomla forums about the handling of the GPL license with Joomla extensions and add-ons?


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wyzemoro

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Re: Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2007, 07:17:07 PM »

the license kinda bothered me.... im afraid. worst they will ask jsmf to stop developing.


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Moslemen M. Macarambon Jr.
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Raul Dias

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Re: Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2007, 10:01:59 PM »

About Licenses, this bridge is GPL, Joomla is GPL and SMF is, well SMF.

Simplifing the GPL:

GPL says that if you add some code to a GPL program or link a program/lib to it, this code/program/lib becomes GPL too.

One important note is that GPL is about distribution and not necessarily about the use.

This means that you can do whatever you want with GPL program, alter it, patch it, mix it with incompatible licensed code (even proprietary), as long as you are not distribuiting it.

This piece from wikipedeia is relevant:

Quote

Copyleft only applies when a person seeks to redistribute the program. One is allowed to make private modified versions, without any obligation to divulge the modifications as long as the modified software is not distributed to anyone else. Note that the copyleft only applies to the software and not to its output (unless that output is itself a derivative work of the program); for example, a public web portal running a modified derivative of a GPLed content management system is not required to distribute its changes to the underlying software.

Now the SMF License stats that:
- You cant redistribute it.
- You cant sell it.
- You cant remove the copyright notice from the output.

This makes the SMF incompatible with the GPL, as you cant do any of this.
Note that in GPL you can change the output of a program and remove the copyright notice, but you cant remove it from the source code.

So, when a bridge connects (links) Joomla to SMF, it is violating the GPL and the SMF License _IF_ redistribuited.

As you, the end user, is not redistributing the SMF or the Joomla + Bridge + SMF, you are not violating any license.

A side note, if you are allowed to redistribute SMF, then you woyld be violating the GPL if you do so. However, you can use the bridge to syncronize users between Joomla and SMF and when using the SMF you link to the standalone SMF index.php instead of using the com_jsmf component. In this case, there is no linking and GPL is not being violated.

Hope I didnt make more confusion about it

-Raul Dias


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shumisha

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Re: Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2007, 06:46:23 PM »

Hi Raul

This issue was raised again recently, so I am doing some research. I understand what you are saying about a user. But obviously here the issue is not about the user, but rather Joomlhacks which is indeed distributing a GPL piece of code that connects to a non-GPL piece of code. Thus not being really a GPL piece of code as it does not comply with the GPL rules (as you described).

I am not familiar with the bridge code, but simply would like to know if it does make calls to SMF code, or if it only process user data from DB. In other words, is it GPL compliant or not ?

Thanks for any input


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Superdaantje

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Aka Livebox

Re: Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2007, 01:11:50 AM »

Please move the discussion to the Joomla! forums! The core members over there can tell you everything about the GPL licence. Speculating is not helping…. So contact the core members of Joomla! for this one…

Joomla! and the GPL - Where to ask questions ?
http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/topic,195676.0.html


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D.Wagner Webservices

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Re: Joomlahacks Bridge and Joomla GPL Changes

« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2007, 05:43:24 PM »

From Joomla!: http://dev.joomla.org/content/view/2336/102/
What is the difference between a bridge to another package and an extension?
A bridge links Joomla! to an external application so that they can exchange data and cooperate. On the Joomla! side of the bridge, the bridge is treated just like a component, module, or plugin; it must comply with the GPL unless it is a separate work (and some bridges might indeed be separate works).

If the external application is separate enough from Joomla! that it is a separate work under copyright law, it may be licensed under whatever license the holder of its copyright sees fit.

So what is the tough part to answer? Is JSMF "legal" or isn't it? Does it comply with the GPL or doesn't it? Is it a separate work or isn't it?

If both organizations can't have a meeting of the minds perhaps they might someday become defendants in a lawsuit executed by thousands of people, companies, and organizations who have become dependent on their products based upon an understanding that this type of thing would never come to be. Who have used these products to construct the very foundation that their livelihoods are built on.

Just sayin'... Huh