[theme-reviewers] Author website advertises themeforest

[Chip Bennett]

ThemeForest's current Envato license is 100% GPL-compatible. PHP is
licensed under GPL, and non-PHP components are proprietary.

It's not a matter of license compatibility, but of WPORG policy that
anything promoted by WPORG must be 100%-GPL (or, better stated, must 100%
preserve free software principles). Someone who sells Themes using Envato's
license may be fully compliant with the GPL license requirements, but is
not conforming to WPORG policy with respect to 100% of code being
free-software-principles free.

Thus far, that has meant that Theme URI/Author URI cannot be used to "sell
or promote" ThemeForest Themes. I think that standard is consistent with
WPORG policy (and consistent with, for example, selection criteria for
WordCamp speakers). I *personally* think that it is too far, and agree
completely with Otto (*looks for falling sky*). But in this regard, it is
not personal opinion that we must enforce, but rather WPORG policy.


On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 12:49 PM, Daniel Tara <contact at onedesigns.com>wrote:

> I'm a bit confused. So is Themeforest's generic license incompatible with
> the GPL or are there certain authors that still sell 100% GPL-compatible
> themes? I'm asking because from Chip's explanation below that's what I
> understand.
>
> Daniel
>
> On Feb 13, 2013, at 6:53 PM, Chip Bennett wrote:
>
> I could get overruled if I'm misinterpreting here, but it is, IMHO, a
> bridge too far to ask Theme Reviewers to evaluate all advertising on links
> used as Theme URI/Author URI. So, it depends on the specific advertisement
> in question.
>
> There's a difference between selling or promoting non-GPL Themes, and a
> generic advertising banner. Linking to one's own Themes for sale, or an
> affiliate link to non-GPL Themes? Sure. That's reasonable to ask the
> developer to remove.
>
> But a generic banner ad?
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 11:31 AM, Chandra Maharzan <maharzan at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> I guess you have to note to remove that to the author.
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 9:58 PM, Srini <srinig112 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Here's a ticket I'm reviewing:
>>> http://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/11123
>>>
>>> The author URI has a themeforest banner ad. As far as I know this is a
>>> violation of theme requirements as themeforest distributes themes that are
>>> not fully GPL licensed, and I'm not sure how to proceed. Clarification on
>>> this appreciated.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> theme-reviewers mailing list
>>> theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>>> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> cmans
>>
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>>
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