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icon5.gif  Commercial site [message #2627] Mon, 13 May 2002 11:46 Go to next message
delvar is currently offline  delvar   United Kingdom
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I was wondering if i could use this forum in a commercial site, I cant give too much detail but,
Its to be a dating site,
members signup pay a fee
give pictures
descriptions can do search (usual stuff) etc..

I looked around for a quick solution and I found this, it has everything I need all in a simple easy to read package its so well written its fun just reading through the code (ok so im sad Razz)

I want to expand the forum code (especially the user info side)
Change the total look of it (not that there anything wrong with default skin Very Happy) to fit the rest of the site.

‘expand’ parts to cover the rest of the site i.e. user logs into the site front end and doesn’t need to log in again, so they can pass from forum, personal manager, searches etc.

It would require, minor and major changes some rewrites and some new code, I was just wondering if there are any restrictions on the use, and do I have to distribute the code.. being a commercial site I don’t want to give it away when someone’s paying me to build it but I don’t mind giving away little bits others might find useful.

Either way this is one great forum you have better than some pay ones iv seen, good job.


Hay 'tis anuver usles sig!
Re: Commercial site [message #2628 is a reply to message #2627] Mon, 13 May 2002 13:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hackie is currently offline  hackie   Canada
Messages: 177
Registered: January 2002
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delvar wrote on Mon, 13 May 2002 7:46 AM

I was wondering if i could use this forum in a commercial site, I cant give too much detail but,
Its to be a dating site,
members signup pay a fee
give pictures
descriptions can do search (usual stuff) etc..

I looked around for a quick solution and I found this, it has everything I need all in a simple easy to read package its so well written its fun just reading through the code (ok so im sad Razz)

I want to expand the forum code (especially the user info side)
Change the total look of it (not that there anything wrong with default skin Very Happy) to fit the rest of the site.

‘expand’ parts to cover the rest of the site i.e. user logs into the site front end and doesn’t need to log in again, so they can pass from forum, personal manager, searches etc.

It would require, minor and major changes some rewrites and some new code, I was just wondering if there are any restrictions on the use, and do I have to distribute the code.. being a commercial site I don’t want to give it away when someone’s paying me to build it but I don’t mind giving away little bits others might find useful.

Either way this is one great forum you have better than some pay ones iv seen, good job.



The forum is licensed under the GPL, you should review the license to see if it satisfies your needs, the main point here, is that if you modify the source code you must release it publicly. GPL protects both the developer and the client, however, GPL places certain few key restrictions upon the client. The most important being as mentioned above, that any modification of the source *MUST* be made available. The GPL license could be read at http://www.gnu.org.

If you wish to use the forum under other licensing conditions contact us via email or pm.

Enjoy.


cc intelligence.c -o intelligence
$ ./intelligence
Segmentation fault

[Updated on: Mon, 13 May 2002 13:55]

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icon6.gif  Re: Commercial site [message #2629 is a reply to message #2627] Mon, 13 May 2002 14:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
delvar is currently offline  delvar   United Kingdom
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Thanks ill read it through,
Mostly it will be minor modifications to expand it, not much in the way of development i.e. adding to the data stored in the users info like height weight etc, which is fine to give out.

But until iv started to work on it im not sure exactly what’s needed.
Ill be writing a lot of my own stuff, that has very little to do with FUD forum except interfacing with the mysql database, which is really the stuff im getting paid to write.

The last thing I want is to do all this, release it then have a customer complaining I charged them for it :/

Anyway ill read through the agreement but it sounds perfectly fair.


Hay 'tis anuver usles sig!
GPL and modified FUDforum [message #2632 is a reply to message #2629] Mon, 13 May 2002 15:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
basse is currently offline  basse   Finland
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Update: obligatory preamble - IANAL, but... Smile

This is a really interesting question that you brought up.

There seems to be different ideas of what the GPL really says about modifying the code. As an example I could mention the discussion about binary-only modules in the linux kernel.

Have a look at this page: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html. It contains a lot information about what you asked. Take a moment to read it, especially the questions about linking GPL-ed code with proprietary code. To me it seems like the GPL forbids you to take GPL-ed code, extend it and release it under another stricter license.

[Updated on: Mon, 13 May 2002 15:25]

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Re: GPL and modified FUDforum [message #2634 is a reply to message #2632] Mon, 13 May 2002 16:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ilia is currently offline  Ilia   Canada
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The kernel comparison is not entirely valid, because the kernel developers are not being strict because even binary modules for the kernel benefit the Linux, albeit in a much lesser way then GPL modules. The benefit it there because it allows for drivers to be released much sooner and allows linux greater hardware compatility.

We on the other hand insist on GPL in the strictess sence and will be proactive in enforcing GPL compliance. Because the FUDforum userbase will not benefit in any way shape or form from closed source in FUDforum branches that we have no access to.
We do offer other licencing schemes for people who wish to license the forum, under other licences, however they would involve a fee as well as a non distribution clause on the part of the purchaser.

GPLed code can be freely used in any commercial venture, there is no restriction on that, many companies use and live by GPL software.

Bottom line is that YOU CAN write proprietry code to use data from FUDforum's database, by doing so you do no violate GPL and that is acceptible. However, if you modify the forum's source you MUST release the changes you've made under GPL. Same is true if you write a program that uses FUDforum's code, it also must be released under GPL.


FUDforum Core Developer
Re: Commercial site [message #2635 is a reply to message #2629] Mon, 13 May 2002 16:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ilia is currently offline  Ilia   Canada
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delvar wrote on Mon, 13 May 2002 10:41 AM

Thanks ill read it through,
Mostly it will be minor modifications to expand it, not much in the way of development i.e. adding to the data stored in the users info like height weight etc, which is fine to give out.



If the scope of your changes is merely adding 1 or two fields to the SQL tables that is fine also, we do not really care about that. What we do "want" is any sufficiently useful functionality that could be integrated into the forum and be useful forother people. For example, if you were to write a mailing list integration we'd definately insist on getting the source for that.


FUDforum Core Developer
Re: GPL and modifications [message #2639 is a reply to message #2635] Mon, 13 May 2002 21:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
basse is currently offline  basse   Finland
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Isn't there a certain risk involved if you are not strict when checking whether people follow the GPL or not? Of course you are right about the addition of a couple of columns in the SQL tables not being of great use to us other users. Nonetheless I think that even in such a case the GPL should be followed and the code released to the public. Otherwise we enter a legal greyzone in which it becomes hard to distinguish which modifications are "major" and which aren't.
Re: GPL and modifications [message #2640 is a reply to message #2639] Mon, 13 May 2002 22:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ilia is currently offline  Ilia   Canada
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I think the best way to address this case would be on case by case basis. Once we've established a certain history of decisions the process will become more streamlined. Overall I'd say any extra added functionality to the forum itself should/must be reported back to the FUDforum development team.

This however does not mean if you write your own original code to interface with FUDforum database that you need to share it.


FUDforum Core Developer
Re: GPL and modifications [message #2641 is a reply to message #2639] Mon, 13 May 2002 23:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hackie is currently offline  hackie   Canada
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djupsjob wrote on Mon, 13 May 2002 5:27 PM

Isn't there a certain risk involved if you are not strict when checking whether people follow the GPL or not? Of course you are right about the addition of a couple of columns in the SQL tables not being of great use to us other users. Nonetheless I think that even in such a case the GPL should be followed and the code released to the public. Otherwise we enter a legal greyzone in which it becomes hard to distinguish which modifications are "major" and which aren't.


There is no legal gray zone, GPL applies in any case, you must *ALWAYS* give your code back to FUD, it's just that if it's insignificant modification or useless to us we won't ask for it, but if anyone else asks for it, then no matter how insignificant modification is it must be given.


cc intelligence.c -o intelligence
$ ./intelligence
Segmentation fault
icon7.gif  Re: Commercial site [message #2649 is a reply to message #2627] Tue, 14 May 2002 09:56 Go to previous message
delvar is currently offline  delvar   United Kingdom
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That’s exactly how I saw it,
I have no problem giving out MY code but as im working for a company its not mine.

ANY modification to the fud code will be given out, even minor changes, ill upload it to an ftp site somewhere and report it here once the works done. Any other code will be kept proprietary (-spl) unless I get an agreement from my company to release it.

Proprietary is where most of the code will lie, that’s why I like this forum, it has everything I was looking for as is, so most of the editing will be the front end, layout, colours etc. With only some logic changes (if any). Some extensions to stored data. (I will know more when I start working)

Rewriting / replacing code, if I were to write a function that replaced an existing function with no code copied form the original but doing the same job would that code be considered part of the fud?
What about doing a similar job but in a slightly different way?
Im thinking it would fall under the gpl, like copying from any publication and releasing it as your own work is plagiarism.
But writing the same thing in your own words is not.
don’t you just love grey areas?

Not that it matters much, I wont intentionally rip you guys off, all credit will be given and where possible code will be released.


Hay 'tis anuver usles sig!
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