Is this a LEGAL thing to do with scripts ???? - GoFuckYourself.com

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 06:24 AM

If you have an open source script (free script)

Are you allowed to take the source and modify it then sell it on as your own script

Is this legal or allowed to be done

Im asking because since buying two scripts me and Si have since found out that both scripts are open source .

candyflip · 09-18-2009, 06:25 AM

If it's open and released under the GPL, you can definitely do exactly what you have asked.

You don't even really have to modify it even. The license allows for that.

Fletch XXX · 09-18-2009, 06:26 AM

i sales wordpress hacks

signupdamnit · 09-18-2009, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyflip

If it's open and released under the GPL, you can definitely do exactly what you have asked.

You don't even really have to modify it even. The license allows for that.

Doesen't he have to make the source code available to all people who purchased the script though (meaning no Zend optimizer or ioncube loader) ?

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyflip

If it's open and released under the GPL, you can definitely do exactly what you have asked.

You don't even really have to modify it even. The license allows for that.

Yep they are both realeased under GPL

Im just pissed at buying the scripts then finding out that they are free even though they have been modified, and I did not know if the guy selling the scripts as his own was allowed to do this

signupdamnit · 09-18-2009, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfpint

If you have an open source script (free script)

Are you allowed to take the source and modify it then sell it on as your own script

Is this legal or allowed to be done

Im asking because since buying two scripts me and Si have since found out that both scripts are open source .

Best bet at this point is to out the people so others can just get the scripts free. You might also contact the original Open Source project and notify them sot hey can look into it (may or may not be a violation).

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by signupdamnit

Doesen't he have to make the source code available to all people who purchased the script though (meaning no Zend optimizer or ioncube loader) ?

He has taken the Ironcube loader out of one of the scripts as the original free script did have that, but apart from that there is no Zend Optimizer or Ironcube loader in both scripts I purchased

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by signupdamnit

Best bet at this point is to out the people so others can just get the scripts free. You might also contact the original Open Source project and notify them sot hey can look into it (may or may not be a violation).

I allready have contacted one of them and they basically said "sorry I paid for the script as it is a free open source script" and they had nothing to do with the site selling the scripts

pornguy · 09-18-2009, 06:35 AM

Honestly. Did the purchase break the bank?? He thought outside the box and you did not. Use the scripts you bought, make money with them and forget it.

Or out him straight away and move on.

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pornguy

Honestly. Did the purchase break the bank?? He thought outside the box and you did not. Use the scripts you bought, make money with them and forget it.

Or out him straight away and move on.

No they did not break the bank and I am not going to post the website here until I have heard back from him. I wondered why one of his scripts just disapeared form the site then he changed his paypal address and took of all email correspondences in the member accounts so there was no way to contact him. At first I thought he might be updating his website.....something not right here I only manged to email him through his first paypal email address

And you dont think its wrong to sell modified open source scripts as your own ???

Ivor CashInEnvelope · 09-18-2009, 07:04 AM

legal? no legal?

on CashInEnvelope DOT COM we are care not really much thank you!

you wanna make chatting's of amsterdam yes?

supercool thankyou

just a punk · 09-18-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfpint

If you have an open source script (free script)

Are you allowed to take the source and modify it then sell it on as your own script

Is this legal or allowed to be done

Im asking because since buying two scripts me and Si have since found out that both scripts are open source .

It is allowed if:
1) you have mentioned the original copyright
2) you distribute your modified code along with the source

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivor CashInEnvelope

legal? no legal?

on CashInEnvelope DOT COM we are care not really much thank you!

you wanna make chatting's of amsterdam yes?

supercool thankyou

huh

I did not understand a word of what you said

grumpy · 09-18-2009, 07:12 AM

i dont think you are allowed to sell open source scripts just like that

just a punk · 09-18-2009, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfpint

I allready have contacted one of them and they basically said "sorry I paid for the script as it is a free open source script" and they had nothing to do with the site selling the scripts

And they were absolutely right on that. You can take any GPL code and sell it for money. According to GPL itself this is not a crime.

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberxxx

It is allowed if:
1) you have mentioned the original copyright
2) you distribute your modified code along with the source

He does not mention the original copyright anywhere apart from his own

He does distribute his modified code with the original source meaning that the script you buy is his modified code mixed with the original source

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberxxx

And they were absolutely right on that. You can take any GPL code and sell it for money. According to GPL itself this is not a crime.

Ok thanks for clarifying that I had no idea that you were allowed to do this

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 07:30 AM

I have had a reply back from the owner and they do actually say where the original source comes from.. I did not see or read it when I purchased the script but it is on the website.

What they are doing is 100% legal according to the GPL / GNU.org website

So all is good I believe

This thread is now closed and another way to make money for script guys has been found

SmokeyTheBear · 09-18-2009, 08:23 AM

btw a small modification on a gpl script can be well worth the money .

Think of it as bananas compared to a banana split

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeyTheBear

btw a small modification on a gpl script can be well worth the money .

Think of it as bananas compared to a banana split

One of the scripts I am happy with but the other one aint to clever atm.. will have to spend more money on getting it sorted out

woj · 09-18-2009, 09:41 AM

wow, that's gotta suck, you work hard on some open source project, you release it for free, then some wise guy comes along and sells it for a profit

The Duck · 09-18-2009, 09:57 AM

They should change that because it's fucked.

DonovanTrent · 09-18-2009, 10:23 AM

I've never understood why people spend considerable time and effort on coding... and then release it for free. But that's just me, I like to eat, I guess.

TheDoc · 09-18-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonovanTrent

I've never understood why people spend considerable time and effort on coding... and then release it for free. But that's just me, I like to eat, I guess.

The boys over at Wordpress seem to eat pretty good.

Phil21 · 09-18-2009, 10:54 AM

Depends on the license.

Essentially, yes. They can sell it for whatever they like.

However, depending on the license they may have to provide source code to anyone who asks, including the modifications they made to any parts of the code.

Other "Free" licenses are much more free, so they could in fact take the software, modify it, then sell it commercially without ever "giving back" the source code modifications.

In a word: Yes, but it depends on the license if they are fully compliant.

mikesouth · 09-18-2009, 11:12 AM

once again if you are asking for real legal advice on gfy yer an idiot

theres not one lawyer that responded to this thread

have an attorney read the licensing agreement or terms and conditions under which the software is released I guarantee you it is in there and it is different potentially for every copyright, and gpl software IS copyrighted

just a punk · 09-18-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonovanTrent

I've never understood why people spend considerable time and effort on coding... and then release it for free. But that's just me, I like to eat, I guess.

You just like to eat, the guy over free Ubuntu likes to fly into cosmos. I believe this is a main difference between you and him.

just a punk · 09-18-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesouth

once again if you are asking for real legal advice on gfy yer an idiot

theres not one lawyer that responded to this thread

The one who think that only lawyer could read and understand the General Public License (GPL) is an idiot.

Nothing personal

area51 - BANNED FOR LIFE · 09-18-2009, 11:40 AM

read the licensing halfwit

GrouchyAdmin · 09-18-2009, 11:41 AM

Long story short:

If it's GPL, he needs to provide any bits of it which are/were public source, but his own libraries/interfaces can stay private.

BSD or MIT license: It's free for him to do with whatever he damn well pleases.

borked · 09-18-2009, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyflip

If it's open and released under the GPL, you can definitely do exactly what you have asked.

You don't even really have to modify it even. The license allows for that.

It was my understanding that if it's GPL, all derivative works need to be GPL'd too. GPL is there to only support free software, not derivatise commercial spin-offs

AFAIK, only the BSD license allows you to encrypt, sell and basically do wtf you want with it, but you still have to acknowledge the source.

gandalfuy · 09-18-2009, 12:40 PM

Sure you can sell it.

But if you modify it and don't collaborate back you would be standing in front of the line between ethic and legal again.

gandalfuy · 09-18-2009, 12:42 PM

Just my two cents.

GrouchyAdmin · 09-18-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borked

It was my understanding that if it's GPL, all derivative works need to be GPL'd too. GPL is there to only support free software, not derivatise commercial spin-offs.

Not entirely.

Anything you develop atop of the GPL code without directly changing that bit, is yours - so just make an assload of functions and hook into it, then release the original code with the hookability.

You can also get by with releasing binary only bits for your proprietary functions if you so choose. It's been done a lot with routers based around the Linux kernel.

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by area51

read the licensing halfwit

lol ... thats some good input right there ..nice post I must say

V_RocKs · 09-18-2009, 01:34 PM

You get what you pay for..

DonovanTrent · 09-18-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDoc

The boys over at Wordpress seem to eat pretty good.

You probably would, too, on the amount of venture capital they're received. How much venture capital has Joey Geek writing GPL code gotten?

I would also say that, if you can't READ and UNDERSTAND the license yourself, then do as Mike South says and have an attorney interpret it for you. Software licenses aren't that hard to read, though. Original poster should just do that, because there's been no consensus in this thread, and a consensus wouldn't guarantee correctness anyway.

TheDoc · 09-18-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonovanTrent

You probably would, too, on the amount of venture capital they're received. How much venture capital has Joey Geek writing GPL code gotten?

I would also say that, if you can't READ and UNDERSTAND the license yourself, then do as Mike South says and have an attorney interpret it for you. Software licenses aren't that hard to read, though. Original poster should just do that, because there's been no consensus in this thread, and a consensus wouldn't guarantee correctness anyway.

Wouldn't being able to raise venture capital prove that free sells?

If we had the traffic they had when they got 30m.. heck everyone would have people throwing money at them like they did. That's why they could raise it, people didn't invest in a broken machine.

Now they are spending that money and making money on stuff like a hosting company and host paid blogs, massive ones. You can buy more space and features for your free blog.

They own plugins for WP that cost monthly (biggest one too). Google adsense is auto on blogs if conditions are met. They upsell hosting and other products. They have a paid poll version. Premium Themes. Shared profits in widgets. Paid support services... and more.

It's a free product... they built up, floated about even for awhile, got some investments, grew the staff, and over the last year have really taken it to the next level.

Now sure about you, but I build my free websites/products, if I can monetize them, I invest more into them, grow them, add staff, and hope they take off. I have had investors before, I look at that as part of doing business.

halfpint · 09-18-2009, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDoc

Wouldn't being able to raise venture capital prove that free sells?

If we had the traffic they had when they got 30m.. heck everyone would have people throwing money at them like they did. That's why they could raise it, people didn't invest in a broken machine.

Now they are spending that money and making money on stuff like a hosting company and host paid blogs, massive ones. You can buy more space and features for your free blog.

They own plugins for WP that cost monthly (biggest one too). Google adsense is auto on blogs if conditions are met. They upsell hosting and other products. They have a paid poll version. Premium Themes. Shared profits in widgets. Paid support services... and more.

It's a free product... they built up, floated about even for awhile, got some investments, grew the staff, and over the last year have really taken it to the next level.

Now sure about you, but I build my free websites/products, if I can monetize them, I invest more into them, grow them, add staff, and hope they take off. I have had investors before, I look at that as part of doing business.

You are so right there is always a way to monetize a free product

Take a look at the FREE online text and rpg games a lot of them are free to play but look closely at them and they are monetized very well

"Free" will always make money in way or the other

k0nr4d · 09-19-2009, 06:08 AM

I'm fairly certain GPL states you can modify and redistribute "non-commercially" and as long as all sources are provided...

seeandsee · 09-19-2009, 06:12 AM

cliff notes?

Libertine · 09-19-2009, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k0nr4d

I'm fairly certain GPL states you can modify and redistribute "non-commercially" and as long as all sources are provided...

Redistributing it commercially is fine too, as long as you still provide the source code and the license.

natkejs · 09-19-2009, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonovanTrent

I've never understood why people spend considerable time and effort on coding... and then release it for free. But that's just me, I like to eat, I guess.

Aside from what's already been said... for self schooled programmers it's good to have Open Source projects in your resume when applying for jobs etc.

Some educations will even have you contribute to open source projects as part of your education. It's a good way to learn and practice.

There is a lot more reasons to contribute to an open source project depending on the individual. Some people just wants to contribute, WikiPedia is a good example of a community making a big change not just online but offline. Through the WikiPedia foundation a lot of information has been put in to print in order to provide less fortunate countries with proper educational material.

And so on and so forth....

Si · 09-19-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfpint

He does not mention the original copyright anywhere apart from his own

He does distribute his modified code with the original source meaning that the script you buy is his modified code mixed with the original source

This is the other part of it that seems off.

I always thought people making changes etc. to open source scripts who wanted to distibute it, had to do so for free aswell.

But obviously not...

gideongallery · 09-19-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfpint

No they did not break the bank and I am not going to post the website here until I have heard back from him. I wondered why one of his scripts just disapeared form the site then he changed his paypal address and took of all email correspondences in the member accounts so there was no way to contact him. At first I thought he might be updating his website.....something not right here I only manged to email him through his first paypal email address

And you dont think its wrong to sell modified open source scripts as your own ???

define sell it as your own

are you talking about packaging it together and selling it ala red hat with linux

or are you talking about removing the attributes from the header pretending as if you coded it.

if the first that perfectly ok

if the second then no open source licience allows that even BSD licience requires author reference.

09-18-2009, 06:24 AM	#1
halfpint GFY's Halfpint Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: UK Posts: 15,223	Is this a LEGAL thing to do with scripts ???? If you have an open source script (free script) Are you allowed to take the source and modify it then sell it on as your own script Is this legal or allowed to be done Im asking because since buying two scripts me and Si have since found out that both scripts are open source . __________________ Get FREE website listings on Cryptocoinshops.net

09-18-2009, 06:25 AM	#2
candyflip Carpe Visio Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New York Posts: 43,058	If it's open and released under the GPL, you can definitely do exactly what you have asked. You don't even really have to modify it even. The license allows for that. __________________ Spend you some brain. Email Me

09-18-2009, 06:26 AM	#3
Fletch XXX GFY HALL OF FAME DAMMIT!!! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: that 504 Posts: 60,840	i sales wordpress hacks __________________ Want an Android App for your tube, membership, or free site? Need banners or promo material? Hit us up (ICQ Fletch: 148841377) or email me fletchxxx at gmail.com - recent work - About me

09-18-2009, 06:35 AM	#9
pornguy Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Homeless Posts: 62,911	Honestly. Did the purchase break the bank?? He thought outside the box and you did not. Use the scripts you bought, make money with them and forget it. Or out him straight away and move on. __________________ PornGuy skype me pornguy_epic AmateurDough The Hottes Shemales online! TChicks.com \| Angeles Cid \| Mariana Cordoba \| MAILERS WELCOME!

09-18-2009, 07:04 AM	#11
Ivor CashInEnvelope Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 35	legal? no legal? on CashInEnvelope DOT COM we are care not really much thank you! you wanna make chatting's of amsterdam yes? supercool thankyou __________________ cash in envelope dot com meet us in amsterdams for good money biz! yes! www.twitter.com/cashinenvelope

09-18-2009, 07:12 AM	#14
grumpy Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Holland Posts: 9,870	i dont think you are allowed to sell open source scripts just like that __________________ Don't let greediness blur your vision \| You gotta let some shit slide icq - 441-456-888

09-18-2009, 07:30 AM	#18
halfpint GFY's Halfpint Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: UK Posts: 15,223	I have had a reply back from the owner and they do actually say where the original source comes from.. I did not see or read it when I purchased the script but it is on the website. What they are doing is 100% legal according to the GPL / GNU.org website So all is good I believe This thread is now closed and another way to make money for script guys has been found __________________ Get FREE website listings on Cryptocoinshops.net Last edited by halfpint; 09-18-2009 at 07:32 AM..

09-18-2009, 08:23 AM	#19
SmokeyTheBear ►SouthOfHeaven Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: PlanetEarth MyBoardRank: GerbilMaster My-Penis-Size: extralarge MyWeapon: Computer Posts: 28,609	btw a small modification on a gpl script can be well worth the money . Think of it as bananas compared to a banana split __________________ hatisblack at yahoo.com

09-18-2009, 09:41 AM	#21
woj <&(©¿©)&> Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 47,882	wow, that's gotta suck, you work hard on some open source project, you release it for free, then some wise guy comes along and sells it for a profit __________________ Custom Software Development, email: woj#at#wojfun#.#com to discuss details or skype: wojl2000 or gchat: wojfun or telegram: wojl2000 Affiliate program tools: Hosted Galleries Manager Banner Manager Video Manager Wordpress Affiliate Plugin Pic/Movie of the Day Fansign Generator Zip Manager

09-18-2009, 09:57 AM	#22
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09-18-2009, 10:23 AM	#23
DonovanTrent Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 968	I've never understood why people spend considerable time and effort on coding... and then release it for free. But that's just me, I like to eat, I guess. __________________ Donovan Trent

09-18-2009, 10:54 AM	#25
Phil21 Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ICQ: 25285313 Posts: 993	Depends on the license. Essentially, yes. They can sell it for whatever they like. However, depending on the license they may have to provide source code to anyone who asks, including the modifications they made to any parts of the code. Other "Free" licenses are much more free, so they could in fact take the software, modify it, then sell it commercially without ever "giving back" the source code modifications. In a word: Yes, but it depends on the license if they are fully compliant. __________________ Quality affordable hosting.

09-18-2009, 11:12 AM	#26
mikesouth Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: My High Horse Posts: 6,334	once again if you are asking for real legal advice on gfy yer an idiot theres not one lawyer that responded to this thread have an attorney read the licensing agreement or terms and conditions under which the software is released I guarantee you it is in there and it is different potentially for every copyright, and gpl software IS copyrighted __________________ Mike South It's No wonder I took up drugs and alcohol, it's the only way I could dumb myself down enough to cope with the morons in this biz.

09-18-2009, 11:40 AM	#29
area51 - BANNED FOR LIFE So Fucking Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3,164	read the licensing halfwit

09-18-2009, 11:41 AM	#30
GrouchyAdmin Now choke yourself! Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12,085	Long story short: If it's GPL, he needs to provide any bits of it which are/were public source, but his own libraries/interfaces can stay private. BSD or MIT license: It's free for him to do with whatever he damn well pleases. __________________ AIM: GrouchyGfy

09-18-2009, 12:40 PM	#32
gandalfuy Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Montevideo, Uruguay. Posts: 4,686	Sure you can sell it. But if you modify it and don't collaborate back you would be standing in front of the line between ethic and legal again. __________________ I'm not back.

09-18-2009, 12:42 PM	#33
gandalfuy Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Montevideo, Uruguay. Posts: 4,686	Just my two cents. __________________ I'm not back.

09-18-2009, 01:34 PM	#36
V_RocKs Damn Right I Kiss Ass! Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Cowtown, USA Posts: 32,406	You get what you pay for..

09-19-2009, 06:08 AM	#40
k0nr4d Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 9,228	I'm fairly certain GPL states you can modify and redistribute "non-commercially" and as long as all sources are provided... __________________ Mechanical Bunny Media Mechbunny Tube Script \| Mechbunny Webcam Aggregator Script \| Custom Web Development

09-19-2009, 06:12 AM	#41
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