Re: Modules that integrate non-GPL PHP apps violate the GPL.

THOMAS BARREGREN WROTE:
>> TO AVOID THIS SORT OF GPL HELL, WE HAVE VERY
SPECIFIC TERMS ON WHICH WE
>> WORK WITH CLIENTS:
>>
>> (1) THE CLIENT OWNS THE WORK WE DO SPECIFICALLY FOR
THEM.
>>
>> (2) THE CLIENT LICENSES .MODULE FILES AND THEIR
DEPENDENCIES BACK TO US
>> UNDER THE GPL, VERSION 2, AND ALL FUTURE VERSIONS
AS PUBLISHED BY THE
>> FSF.
>>
>> THE TERMS OF (2) MEAN THEIR INTERNAL STAFF CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO THE
>> PROJECT, BUT THE FINAL WORKING MODULES ARE LICENSED
BACK TO US IN A
>> GPL-CLEAN WAY THAT ALLOWS US TO RETURN THE WORK TO
THE COMMUNITY.
> 
> THE OTHER WAY AROUND WORKS AS WELL. YOU CAN KEEP THE
INTELLECTUAL
> PROPERTY RIGHTS YOURSELF AND LICENSE THE SOFTWARE UNDER
GPL TO YOUR
> CUSTOMER.

DOING IT THAT WAY REQUIRES THAT THE CLIENT TRANSFER
OWNERSHIP OF EVEN
THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES' WORK ON THE PROJECT BACK TO US. THAT'S
A LOT HARDER
TO CONVINCE A CLIENT TO DO CONSIDERING THAT THEY'RE PAYING
YOU TO DO THE
WORK.

IF WE DESIRED THE ABILITY TO RELICENSE WORK, WE WOULD
PROBABLY STILL USE
THE SCHEME I MENTIONED BUT WITH A BSD (OR SIMILAR) LICENSE.

David Strauss skrev:
> Thomas Barregren wrote:
>   
>>> To avoid this sort of GPL Hell, we have very
specific terms on which we
>>> work with clients:
>>>
>>> (1) The client owns the work we do specifically
for them.
>>>
>>> (2) The client licenses .module files and their
dependencies back to us
>>> under the GPL, version 2, and all future
versions as published by the
>>> FSF.
>>>
>>> The terms of (2) mean their internal staff can
contribute to the
>>> project, but the final working modules are
licensed back to us in a
>>> GPL-clean way that allows us to return the work
to the community.
>>>       
>> The other way around works as well. You can keep
the intellectual
>> property rights yourself and license the software
under GPL to your
>> customer.
>>     
>
> Doing it that way requires that the client transfer
ownership of even
> their own employees' work on the project back to us.
That's a lot harder
> to convince a client to do considering that they're
paying you to do the
> work.
>   

The other way around approach is easy to use if you can
isolate a module 
on which only your guys/gals work on. If the project team is
a mix of 
your and your customers employees, I think your approach
(which I never 
had though of - thank you) is better.

Regards,
Thomas