GPLv3 License use case

Question

If I use Tigase(xmpp server demon) on my server (not distributing it) and build custom plugin(stay within server). Do I have to release my source codes? What if my website have google adsense and If I build some commercial usage plugs for tigase for my own website use. I have no clue how GPL license work for software which we don't distribute and use it as server-side.

Also same apply for MySQL, if my website is commercial say a e-commerse website then do I have to pay something to Oracle.

Thank you for your reply.

Answer 1

The GPL license emphasizes the distribution part, not the usage part whether it's commercial or non-commercial. So in your specific case you seem to be compliant with the GPLv3 license. The Affero GPL forces websites to give the source code, but it's not your case.

I'm not familiar with the MySQL license, but I doubt there's any issue in using it for your e-commerce website.

Answer 2

Tigase is released under GPL license, so any plugins* have to be licensed under GPL-compatible license. GPL license states that you have to provide sources to anyone whom you provide binaries. If only you use your plugin, you have to release sources only for yourself. GPL does not force anyone to distribute anything. In terms of classical logic:

you distribute binaries to X => you distribute sources to X

MySQL case is quite different. There are two pieces of software, both licensed under GPL: MySQL server and MySQL client library (libmysqlclient). If you use MySQL client library, you have to obey GPL license. If you talk to MySQL server directly (e.g. you have written a connector yourself), GPL does not affect you.

* - GPL affects only software that is linked to original application, so, for example, Jabber componenets, .i.e. applications that connect to server by TCP/IP are not affected by GPL.