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Is it legal to sell wordpress themes and plugins as proprietary software ?

by Ravikanth
10 replies
Wordpress is GPL licensed and from what I understood any piece of code which is linked to a GPL software should be a GPL. I wonder how it is legal to sell themes and plugins as proprietary software. I am missing something. can you help?
#legal #plugins #proprietary #sell #software #themes #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author dadamson
    Yes, I believe it is fine. In fact if you go to Themeforest there is usually an option for a single download and a multi-license/reseller license + download.

    The single download is usually around $30-$40 whereas the reseller license is around $1,000.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Originally Posted by raviandkanth View Post

    Wordpress is GPL licensed and from what I understood any piece of code which is linked to a GPL software should be a GPL. I wonder how it is legal to sell themes and plugins as proprietary software. I am missing something. can you help?
    That's actually between the developer of the software and plugins and Wordpress (Matt Mullenweg). To distribute themes and plugins that are copyrighted by the developer because you think it should be GPL is theft.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ravikanth
      GPL license explicitly states that derived works should BE distributed only under GPL license. How can one copyright a wp plugin or them in such a situation? I am wondering if I am able to convey my concern
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
        Banned
        Originally Posted by raviandkanth View Post

        GPL license explicitly states that derived works should BE distributed only under GPL license. How can one copyright a wp plugin or them in such a situation? I am wondering if I am able to convey my concern
        It doesn't matter for your purposes. If you don't want to buy copyrighted works, don't buy them, but any TOS violations of GPL are not your concern. They are between MM and the vendor. If the vendor were to be sued by MM, a court would determine the validity of the claim, not you.

        But if you want to shoot an email off to a multi-millionaire, I'm sure he's standing by to answer you. :rolleyes:
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        • Profile picture of the author Ravikanth
          Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

          But if you want to shoot an email off to a multi-millionaire, I'm sure he's standing by to answer you. :rolleyes:
          It is quite the opposite. I want to make sure there is no problem when I sell one. It is that simple.

          I get the general opinion though. Thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author ot
    The things they are allowed to restrict the licence of are what will work without wordpress - images, css, javascript, etc.

    edit/ most of the time what you are really paying for is the support.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    Just in case this has anything to do with wsos, this topic by Paul Meyers has interesting info.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...s-plugins.html

    And if it doesn't involve wsos, it is still interesting.
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  • Profile picture of the author avajo71
    Yes, it is 100% LEGAL.

    But if you know how hard is it to develop it, then you will know that it is IMMORAL!
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  • Profile picture of the author gvidass
    Yes it is, you can find lots of people selling themes on envatomarket in themeforest section. Most of them are selling like for 60$, but they got hundreds or even thousands of sells...
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  • Profile picture of the author SunilTanna
    You may find this article helpful
    WordPress and the GPL - Do Themes and Plug-Ins need to be licensed under the GPL?

    By the way you are confusing copyright (which applies to gpl code too), with the license which copyrighted code is distributed under (which could gpl or another license).
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