[theme-reviewers] Theme License

[Spencer Piontkowski]

I apologize. I have only been on the mailing list for a few weeks and 
reviewing themes about as long. This was the first time I've seen a 
thread dealing with licenses. But, I Googled "site:lists.wordpress.org 
license" to search the mailing list archive and found 1520 emails on the 
subject, so I guess it's been hashed many times over the last few years.

I noticed that all the threads I read end with something like "themes in 
WPORG repository must be GPL-compatible." The message is clear, so 
that's what I'll go by. I just wanted to make sure I'm marching to the 
beat of the same drum as everyone else when reviewing themes.

------ Original Message ------
From: "Chip Bennett" <chip at chipbennett.net>
To: "Discussion list for WordPress theme reviewers." 
<theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org>
Sent: 1/31/2014 9:42:35 AM
Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] Theme License

>We're not going to re-hash this. Been there, done that; don't have time 
>for it again.
>
>The Guidelines on Licensing state that Themes must be licensed under a 
>GPL-compatible license, including all resources bundled with the Theme. 
>The Guidelines conform to WordPress.org policy.
>
>
>On Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 12:25 PM, Spencer Piontkowski 
><spencer at piontkowski.me> wrote:
>>But that contradicts this page: http://wordpress.org/about/license/, 
>>which states:
>>"There is some legal grey area regarding what is considered a 
>>derivative work, but we feel strongly that plugins and themes are 
>>derivative work and thus inherit the GPL license."
>>
>>
>>------ Original Message ------
>>From: "Otto" <otto at ottodestruct.com>
>>To: "Discussion list for WordPress theme reviewers." 
>><theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org>
>>Sent: 1/31/2014 4:33:43 AM
>>Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] Theme License
>>
>>>On Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 5:00 AM, Konstantin Kovshenin
>>><kovshenin at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>  Which is strange though, because a WordPress theme (and a plugin) 
>>>>is
>>>>  derivative work of WordPress and has to inherit the GPL license. So 
>>>>I
>>>>  guess a theme can't be MIT licensed :)
>>>
>>>You are incorrect and yes, a theme can be MIT licensed. Compatible is
>>>compatible and it's fine.
>>>
>>>-Otto
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>theme-reviewers mailing list
>>>theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>>>http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>theme-reviewers mailing list
>>theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>>http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>
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