[Bf-committers] extension clause

Doug Ollivier doug at flipdesign.co.nz
Tue Nov 23 00:13:41 CET 2010


> That is actually against the terms of the GPL. They cannot restrict usage like this.
>
> If that is what they want to do with their license, it is not GPL compatible and the FSF should send them a strongly worded leter.
>
> Martin
>

Well they aren't actually limiting the GPL version to Non-commercial 
use. (their wording does seem like that though, but the GPL supersedes 
that).

What they are doing is offering a commercial version of the code that is 
not licensed under the GPL, meaning that it would be "appropriate for 
commercial use" whereas businesses may not want to risk using GPL 
content within their code.

His wording is certainly not trying to educate people about the GPL, nor 
is it trying to dispel the myth that you can use it commercially.  What 
it does do, is highlights a real world case of this exact debate about 
businesses being unable to, or too scared to use GPL content.

Doug.


More information about the Bf-committers mailing list