Use (L)GPL Code in commercial

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+2 Q:

Use (L)GPL Code in commercial

I want to code a commercial web application and I wanted to use a PHP class which is under the LGPL license in that project.

Could I use the class and must I make the project open-source (what I don't want to)?

Edit: I don't want to sell the Code - I just want to offer special things in the web app.

+1 A:

You'd be interested in this discussion: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/731246/lgpl-for-php-applications

Kornel Kisielewicz 2010-01-23 16:54:09

+2 A:

No, you don't have to make your project LGPL.

But if you modify the source of the class under LGPL license you'll have republish this class under LGPL.

gregseth 2010-01-23 16:59:22

Okay, I want to modify the source, where should I publish then the changed code?

Poru 2010-01-23 17:12:10

this is completely wrong answer. LGPL is not about whether he uses or even modifies the class. LGPL doesn't regulate it. it regulates only distribution. usually PHP applications are not being distributed and therefore it absolutely doesn't matter what he does with the class and he doesn't have to republish modified class under LGPL. is this against the spirit of LGPL? of course, but when this license was drafted in 1990 or so, there were no web-applications.

lubos hasko 2010-01-23 17:15:22

OK. I could use the class without any guidelines? I give a credit to the author and that's it or what?

Poru 2010-01-23 17:21:21

if you want to be ethical, give them credit or even publish your modifications somewhere but legally the license doesn't require you to do it. just make sure it's LGPLv2 because in version 3, this "web-application loophole" is already patched.

lubos hasko 2010-01-23 17:25:49

Okay, there's just this license info: /*Licence: GNU Lesser General Public Licensehttp://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html*/ What does this mean then?

Poru 2010-01-23 18:14:53

it's LGPLv3 but you are still safe because this license doesn't include affero clause (affero clause closes the loophole). in other words, if you are not going to distribute this web-application to anyone (you said you won't), you can freely use or modify the source without restrictions.

lubos hasko 2010-01-24 02:07:01

+1 A:

Yes, if you are running the code on your own company's server as a web application provided to customers, you don't need to do anything.

If your code just uses the class, but you do not need to ship the source of the class itself because the recipient already have the class in their library or can obtain it themselves as a separate library, you still don't need to.

If you copy the GPL'd PHP code and include it in the larger product you ship, you will need to GPL the entire source.

At least, that's my understanding of it but I'm no lawyer.

martinwguy 2010-01-23 17:05:11

I don't think LGPL (Lesser GPL) is as viral as GPL. In other words, you do not need to GPL your whole application if you copied/used the class in your code. Please note that IANAL

Nazar 2010-01-23 17:11:43

ansaurus

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Use (L)GPL Code in commercial

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