[theme-reviewers] GPL and limiting usage

[Ünsal Korkmaz]

Themeforest's license system makes more sense then GPL if subscription-type
usage restriction is allowed in GPL. For example:
http://codecanyon.net/item/slider-revolution-responsive-wordpress-plugin/2751380

1 time 60$ pay and use it in your product. No subsciption and better then
GPL then. At least it works itself. lol


On Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 10:59 PM, Emil Uzelac <emil at uzelac.me> wrote:

> Amen!
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 2:56 PM, Otto <otto at ottodestruct.com> wrote:
>
>> On Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 2:45 PM, Chip Bennett <chip at chipbennett.net>
>> wrote:
>> > So, you would imply that the WPTRT stance, for over three years, that
>> any
>> > and all usage restrictions are incompatible with GPL is incorrect?
>> Because
>> > that has been our operating principle all along: Themes cannot restrict
>> > usage in any way.
>>
>> The problem code isn't in the theme. It isn't in another version of
>> the theme. It's in a plugin that they sell as an add-on to the theme.
>>
>> WP-Ecommerce is free. Several add-ons for it are not. Why is this a
>> problem?
>>
>>
>> > If we say that this subscription model is acceptable and that it
>> conforms to
>> > WPORG policy, then I would view that statement as a fairly significant
>> > sea-change in WPORG free-software philosophy.
>>
>> Not from my viewpoint. The one wanting to make the sea-change here is
>> you. You're saying that we should impose new restrictions above and
>> beyond those that we currently have.
>>
>>
>> > Again: the key difference here is that 100% of the code and
>> functionality
>> > are contained within the distributed Plugin itself. The server is
>> entirely
>> > unnecessary to the function of the Plugin, and server API connectivity
>> > exists solely to determine whether or not to disable functionality
>> within
>> > the Plugin, based on subscription status.
>>
>> If the code ain't hosted on .org, and you have to pay to obtain it,
>> then I don't much care what the code actually does.
>>
>> They wrote it. If they state that it's available under the terms of
>> the GPL, then those are the terms under which it is available. As far
>> as I'm concerned, and by my reading of all the guidelines, it's fine.
>> If somebody wants to get a copy, modify it, and release it elsewhere
>> for free, well, then they can do that if it really is under the terms
>> of the GPL.
>>
>> These types of things fix themselves. We don't need to rigorously
>> enforce our personal viewpoints as to how code should behave. We *do*
>> need to ensure that the terms are compatible with ours, and that the
>> rights of the end user are protected. That's enough.
>>
>> -Otto
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>
>
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