8.1. Should you fear the GPL?
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The GPL stands for the
"GNU General Public License", and is a commonly
used open-source license.
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There are other open-source licenses that are similar to it.
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You may have heard about its "viral" nature, that forces code that uses
GPLed code to be open-source as well. Should you worry about it?
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Usually there's nothing to be fear. The GPL (and all other
free software
licenses) explicitly allow making use (and even modifying) the software
for internal use.
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Software that operates web-sites is considered software for internal use, as
it is not distributed to the outside.
Amazon.com as an Example
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If we take Amazon.com for example, then they may make use of GPLed code for
their web-site.
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If, however, they decide to distribute the code as a framework that allows
setting up similar sites (say Amazonware), then they'll have to either comply
by the terms of the GPL, and distribute it under a compatible free software
license, or alternatively eliminate the use of the GPLed software.
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(Or if the option permits, get the copyright owner of the GPLed software to
exempt them from the GPL somehow.)
Conclusion
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This presentation was directed primarily at people who manage or wish
to set up web-sites.
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If you want to sell a framework that will facilitate setting up web-sites
using LAMP, I wish you the best of luck, but you'll
have to handle the legal problems involved in making use of open-source
(and proprietary) software available on your own.
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Generally note that the distribution terms of proprietary software may give
you even more trouble, as far as basing a web-site on them is concerned.
Written by Shlomi Fish