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Stop Paying For Multi-Site Licenses [WordPress]

by lirikh
5 replies
Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone know that developers that sell their plugins/themes and offer two different licenses (single domain or multiple domain) are violating WordPress' GPL.

So next time you buy a plugin or theme, buy the single use. You have the rights to modify it and install it on as many domains as you want. You can even re-sell it if you want. Do not worry for legal action, as anything that is derived from WordPress is licensed under GNUv2.
#attention #gpl #plugins #premium #single or multiuse #themes #violation
  • Profile picture of the author professorrosado
    Originally Posted by lirikh View Post

    You can even re-sell it if you want. Do not worry for legal action, as anything that is derived from WordPress is licensed under GNUv2.
    Great idea, but then who would buy it from you now since we know we can just get free copies of it and share it with everyone! :rolleyes:

    PHP code isn't Wordpress code, how does one tell which plugins are 100% licensed under GNUv2?

    Also, it reads: "You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee. "

    Isn't this what is being done through "Developer's" License? Extending these rights and fees to third party receivers of the modified plugin code?
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by lirikh View Post

      Do not worry for legal action, as anything that is derived from WordPress is licensed under GNUv2.

      So, are you an attorney?

      And if not, who is going to pay the price if you are wrong? Me, if I follow your bad advice.


      Originally Posted by professorrosado View Post

      PHP code isn't Wordpress code, how does one tell which plugins are 100% licensed under GNUv2?

      Also, it reads: "You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee. "

      Isn't this what is being done through "Developer's" License? Extending these rights and fees to third party receivers of the modified plugin code?

      As you said, there are several things we can do with the code to be able to offer our stuff for a fee.

      As for your question about the PHP code, any file that is within the WordPress Theme or Plugin that calls a WordPress function is covered under the GNUv2.

      However, if there are any files in the setup that does not actually call a WordPress function does not fall under GNUv2.

      So, readers of this thread should be very careful. If they buy a Theme or a Plugin and assume all of it to be protected under GNUv2, then they can get into real trouble very quickly, if the coder was smart enough to put most of the cool stuff insider of files that do not use any WordPress functions.
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      Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
      Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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  • Profile picture of the author Farish
    This is why sites like themeforest use a split license.

    You can steal their php all you want.

    You cant steal their CSS, Artwork, Images, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Plugins AREN'T derived from wordpress!!!!!!! And THEMES are not plugins. GRANTED, there may be a plugin part to facilitate the wordpress theme code, but....

    You want to know why that section is there? People observant enough may remember the company that offered a competitor to MYSQL. So HOW COME they disappeared? Their product was a new ISAM engine(not THAT remarkable), and a slight change to the ALSO delivered FORK of MYSQL. MYSQL cried foul because that FORK could not be provided as it was. Linux, filezilla, gcc, etc... have similar things. HECK, gcc once seemed to also include the LIBRARIES, though they made it clear that they weren't covered.

    So you can't provide a fork, or deliver a part of the product, outside of things like plugins or libraries to join with the base product, unless it is ALSO opensource. To say otherwise would be tantamount to saying that I could take your system, data and all, and publish it everywhere. The data is NOT theirs, even though it was entered through and for their product. Your mods are NOT theirs! BUT, you are not allowed to customize their main product and sell it. Try that with MYSQL, and don't be surprised if oracles(They bought MYSQL) lawyers end up on your doorstep with a big lawsuit!

    You will notice that EVERY fork that charges is from the original author. Every other fork adopts the old copyright even though EVERYTHING else may change.

    HECK, I happen to work with a very expensive product. It is not unusual for customers to pay over 1 million USD just for the SOFTWARE! The plugin interface, libraries, and clients are ****FREE****! Some people make components with them that cost well into the 100s of thousands of dollars, and the company that designed the plugin interface even helps some of them sell them! Try selling the server, and they WILL sue! In fact, they are so free with the client ONLY because it is worthless without the server.

    My next contract may be with another big player. The API and interface logic are FREE! The server could cost a BUNDLE(read well into the millions)!

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Coby
    I was going to say the same as Bill...

    The code is covered under GPL - but Artwork and other stuff is not covered unless it relies on a WP function....

    So, you can steal the base code - but the images could be copyrighted and that could get you sued (Getty images ring a bell)

    Cheers,
    Coby
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