Is this plugin GPLv3?

  • Resolved balleyne

    (@balleyne)


    11 years, 10 months ago

    The license statement on this plugin is very confusing:

    License: GPLv3

    Intellectual Property rights reserved byTodd Lahman, LLC as allowed by law incude,
    but are not limited to, the working concept, function, and behavior of this plugin,
    the logical code structure and expression as written. All WordPress functions, objects, and
    related items, remain the property of WordPress under GPLv3 license, and any WordPress core
    functions and objects in this plugin operate under the GPLv3 license.

    Does that mean it’s GPLv3? Or GPLv3 for some parts and not others (which seems very unlikely to be possible, given the GPLv3’s copyleft provisions…)?

    Meanwhile, the plugin appearson www.ads-software.com… but the www.ads-software.com licensing policy suggests that all plugin code is GPLv2 or later:

    The license under which the WordPress software is released is the GPLv2 (or later) […]

    Part of this license outlines requirements for derivative works, such as plugins or themes. Derivatives of WordPress code inherit the GPL license. […]

    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. […]

    https://www.ads-software.com/about/license/

    So, it seems like this plugin licensed under the GPLv3, as indicated by the “License: GPLv3” and by the WordPress GPLv2 (or later) license being subject to derivative works such as this plugin… correct?

    https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/spam-free-wordpress/

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Plugin Author Todd Lahman

    (@toddlahman)

    Plugin licensing: GPLv3 is now accepted

    Moderator Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)

    (@ipstenu)

    ?????? Advisor and Activist

    balleyne – GPLv3 plugins are permitted, as you can use a GPLv3 plugin or theme in WordPress, without impacting the licensing of WordPress core (which is and will remain GPLv2 or later).

    Intellectual Property rights are copyrights, and they’ve always been separate.

    Thread Starter balleyne

    (@balleyne)

    Plugin licensing: GPLv3 is now accepted

    I’ll take that as a yes to GPLv3…

    Thanks for clarifying.

    Intellectual Property rights are copyrights, and they’ve always been separate.

    I don’t follow you here… Intellectual property is a vague, unspecific term that often refers to copyrights, patents, trademarks, or a variety of other totally separate things.

    The GPL is a copyright license. Copyright is absolutely not separate from GPL licensing.

    The statement is confusion because it says “GPLv3” and “Intellectual Property rights reserved…” GPL (v1, v2, v3…) is kinda the opposite of “rights reserved,” as many of the rights are waived via the license.

    Hence my confusion…

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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