Does GPL require to open source the (commercial) web application?
Please, give the expanded answer, not just "Yes"/"No" but why.
I'm pretty sure that isn't very helpful.
notJim
2009-09-29 03:47:26
@notJim - Helpful for me! And shorter than other responses!
mark
2010-10-09 19:24:21
+10
A:
No. The GPL is about distribution of code. With a web app you don't distribute your code.
But there are GPL variants, like the Affero GPL, that do apply to web apps, so be careful.
RichieHindle
2009-09-28 17:16:08
But how does one define distribute? If the client is hosting their solution with me, that isn't distributed, but what if they wish to host their application on their own server? If the app is written in javascript, you're technically deploying code to your user's browsers, aren't you?
notJim
2009-09-28 17:27:00
If they host it on their own server that is distribution. If they are downloading javascript then they have the source to the javascript anyway,
Martin Beckett
2009-09-28 17:28:20
@mgb: so in that case, would one have to open source the server-side part of the application as well?
notJim
2009-09-28 17:35:02
@notJim: The GPL grants rights to whoever you distribute binaries to. If you're distributing binaries to your client's server, you are only granting those rights to your client.
RichieHindle
2009-09-28 22:02:20
@mgb: The JS file you send may not be considered "source" according to the GPL. Plus, if you add your own JS which you don't intend to make GPL (despite it being available for anyone to download) incorporating that JS file with the GPL'ed JS file may constitute a derived work. So there are some nuamces to GPL Javascript.
Mr. Shiny and New
2009-09-29 18:46:51
Mr. Shiny and New makes a good point that distributing code to someone is not the same thing as making it GPL. I fear I have many questions remaining...
notJim
2009-09-29 23:09:15
Are you concerned about making the javascript source available if they are downloading it to the browser anyway? Anything that runs in the clients browser is hardly secret sauce !
Martin Beckett
2009-10-05 00:42:34
A:
No. Some drafts of GPLv3 did have such a requirement, but this was eventually removed. See also: OSS Watch: GPL v3 - What's New?
Laurence Gonsalves
2009-09-28 17:22:28
A:
Copyright prevents you from distributing the code or the binaries. The GPL grants you additional privileges to distribute the code or binaries as long as you follow the GPL's restrictions. If you are not distributing the code, the GPL doesn't matter. If you distribute it, it matters.
Note: I'm sure Javascript is a case where people are misinterpreting the GPL. You are distributing the Javascript code, by most definitions, however the Javascript can be said to be part of a derived work (the page) which may not be GPL (not to mention your own Javascript code, which you may not intend to GPL). IMO you should avoid Javascript that's GPL unless you're making an all-GPL project.
Mr. Shiny and New
2009-09-28 17:33:35