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Can I recode WordPress or another CMS and then sell it as my own?

Can I encrypt the source code?

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    Could you elaborate what you mean by recode? And what would be the license you intend to use?
    – Philippe Ombredanne
    Jul 24, 2016 at 12:31
  • CMS = Content Management System?
    – Glenn Randers-Pehrson
    Jul 24, 2016 at 15:03
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    Whether it's a CMS or not is completely irrelevant. What license were you granted when you obtained your copy? You did read that didn't you? (I ask that as one of the few people I know who actually does. :-)
    – MAP
    Jul 24, 2016 at 21:11
  • @philippe-ombredanne recode for specific purposes. I'm going to remove needless code, add my own and customize CMS for myself.
    – nelolka
    Jul 25, 2016 at 11:01
  • What would be the purpose of the encryption?
    – Michael Schumacher
    Jul 29, 2016 at 8:02

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Can I recode wordpress or another CMS and then sell it as my own? recode for specific purposes. I'm going to remove needless code, add my own and customize CMS for myself

As long as the license allows it yes. The Wordpress license is the GPL-2.0. The GPL allows modification, redistribution and commercialization all right.

But it also has some obligations that I need to follow if I make such modifications. At a high level I would need to do all of these leaving aside some details:

  1. document the changes I made and keep all the original notices, license texts, etc and ensure that my customers know about these terms
  2. keep the code, these changes and my additions under the GPL
  3. make the modified source code available to my customers in a form that is the preferred form for modification under the GPL which would mean plain source code.

Can I encrypt source code?

I surely can encrypt the source code of a modified GPL-licensed project! But I would still need to make this source code including my modifications available to my customers in a form that is the preferred form for further modification. Under and per the GPL, this would mean that I would have to also distribute the source code unencrypted making the encryption rather moot.

/HTH

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