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Question: development with GPL tools?

Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 3:10 am
by whamsicore
If I use, drupal for example, a development kit available under GPL, and create my own web-application/website -

Will my completed website/ web-application be under GPL?

It would seem logical to me that GPL inheritance should only apply to new distributions (altered or improved) of the same product, where as a website developed through drupal is not a replacement for drupal, therefore it should not inherit GPL. But I may not be wrong. Will someone confirm? Thanks.

Re: Question: development with GPL tools?

Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 10:47 am
by AbraCadaver
If you distribute your website or modified drupal install to others then it and all changes/additions you made must be licensed under the GPL. The license is granted to the user/holder of the software, so under the GPL you can use the software however you wish, but if you distribute it then that same license passes to everyone else.

Re: Question: development with GPL tools?

Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 6:06 pm
by whamsicore
Ok, let's be a little more specific here:

I use drupal to make website example.com. Does that mean my entire sites source code is under GPL? I have to make my source code free to the public? Does free source code include non-script data, such as custom CSS?

Exactly how does GPL get inherited. If I create a new distribution of Drupal, obviously my new Drupal distribution will be under GPL. However, if I use drupal to create a custom web application, with my own custom themes and everything, it will not be under GPL, correct? Niether would my custom PHP scripts be under GPL, correct? I am not creating a new version of Drupal, after all, only using Drupal to add functionality to my website. Can someone confirm that there are no major flaws in my understanding?

Thanks

Re: Question: development with GPL tools?

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 3:26 am
by Weirdan
whamsicore wrote: I use drupal to make website example.com. Does that mean my entire sites source code is under GPL?
I'd say it's either derivative work or linking to Drupal. Under GPL both require you to provide source code to the parties you distribute your derivative / combined work to.
whamsicore wrote: I have to make my source code free to the public?
GPL does not force distribution, neither it take a decision to whom you'd want distribute the product from you. If you distribute the software to general public then, yes, you must provide the code to general public. If you distribute the software to selected parties you must provide source code to those selected parties. If you only use the software yourself you already have the source code and no further actions are required.