GPL scenario

asked 2010-02-04 13:11:04 +0800

mklaene
87

I hesitate bringing this up as there are probably a million similar discussions out on the internet regarding the GPL but I'd like to get the ZK team's perspective with the recent license changes (I know ZK was always GPL until recently).

Here's the scenario:

I have an open-source project, under the GPL license. It is, let's say a web-based financial package. I am using ZK5 EE (after ZK team has given me permission to do so because I have demonstrated to their satisfaction that my project is open-source).

Company A downloads my GPL financial package, installs it on their servers and uses it. It has my software and ZK libraries bundled within it (along with JFreeChart and a few other libraries).

They can either use it for free or they may choose to pay or not pay me for a support package.

They can make customizations to the package, perhaps writing extensions that call ZK libraries directly (who knows what they will do). If they are writing significant customizations with the ZK libraries, I can refer them to ZK and *suggest* that they might want to purchase a support license from them, but they're under no obligation to do so.

Are they free to do these things without obligation to pay either my company or ZK **as long as they don't re-distribute my package or their enhancements that utilize the ZK library**? My understanding is yes. The key word is 'distribute' as long as they don't bundle it and try to resell it. If they distribute under anything but the GPL, they must pay for a commercial license from me, and ZK for the right to do so.

This site provided me with a really good refresher on the GPL: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WhyUseGPL

Can someone confirm or correct me on this?

Thanks,
Mike