Hazards of using GPL

Client Joined: Oct 07, 2003 Posts: 735 Location: Ohio

What are they? What do you do if you feel your work is getting ripped off? If I release a module under GNU GPL doesn't that mean that any improved version released is also free? How can the FAQ at www.gnu.org say the following:

Quote:

The GPL allows everyone the right to sell copies and is part of the definition of free software.

Yet it also says:

Quote:

Using the GNU GPL will require that all the released improved versions be free software.

Case in point is a module I worked on for over a year. After the initial release I was approached by a guy who wanted to port it to Nuke Evolution. Later I found out the guy left the Evolution project and now has an outfit at www.darkforgegfx.com

Lo and behold he is selling my module he said he improved upon for some kinda subscription fee to be a premium member.

*Edit*
He has also encrypted is version.

registered · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:07 am

He can do all that you have said that he has done as long as when requested for the source, that he provides the unencrypted source. BTW, he doesn't even have to improve upon it to turn around and sell it for a subscription fee. He is entitled by the GPL to do that.

Also, by the way, since PHP-Nuke is GPL, anything which requires nuke to run, such as a nuke module, by definition becomes GPL.

Now, is what he has done ethical or professional? In my personal opinion, he should have asked your permission to do what he is doing.

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:42 pm

I agree entirely.
Your only recourse really is to contact his host and ask to have him shut down for theft of intellectual copyright but some will just have a good laugh at that.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't; it pretty much depends whether the hosting service has ever been sued.

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:08 am

Problem is I don't think he has violate the GPL. If he refuses to provide unencrypted source, then, yes, you have a case. JMO.

That's the world we live in with *nuke and the GPL folks. There is a really nice long thread about the GPL that is an excellent read, because you CAN protect certain things by how you distribute them, but the key really is can these separate things "run" outside the GPL'd product. Images and .js and .css files are good examples.

New Member Joined: Dec 22, 2007 Posts: 1

Hi my name is killigan and I own darkforgegfx.com. I would really like to know what module you are talking about. I would be happy to clear up anything the best I can. So, please let me know what the problem is before you go any further with claiming I stole something.

I have taken the liberty to deactivate the only module i can think of that you could be talking about. I have removed it and the ads for the beta until I can talk to someone about this.

That module is milpacs. My understanding was that Bayler was given permission by Donovan to port it and do whatever he wanted with it.
I get this information from a post at Donovan's site where he himself said
Bayler could do this. If this not correct then please let me know. I have no problems removing milpacs from my site at all.

Furthermore, we are not selling milpacs in a subscription. The elite members group was there long before milpacs was. Also, that group has alot more advantages than people getting to download a bugged module. The idea was that only people that were in this group could have access to the module for beta if they wanted to test it. And yes i encoded the copyright and 3 other files so the module shuts down after 7 days during the beta. Feel free to get the files and look through them and you will see they are not all encoded. So that statement is also misleading.

I just wanted to clear that up because I do try very hard to keep things as honest and fair in this community as possible. I did remove milpacs since thats the only module you could be claiming my site stole which would mean Bayler stole it and you can take it up with him. I cannot give you the source code since i didn't code anything on it. That would also have to be taken up with bayler. But it is not available for download at http://www.darkforgegfx.com anymore.

Thanks,
killigan