Questions tagged [proprietary-code]
For questions about works whose authors retain the ability to control derivates or distribution as given to them by copyright law
96
questions
1
vote
1answer
23 views
Can I sell closed source plugins that interface with a GPL v2 software which is open sourced?
Basically, I have an idea for some software based on an Open Sourced application.
If I was to build an application based off of that, and sell my plugins, would this be a breach of terms? This is the ...
4
votes
1answer
55 views
Can a GPL-licensed library be used in private development builds of a proprietary application?
I'm considering using this GPL-3.0-licensed library as a development aid in a game. Development builds that include this library (and other unrelated tools) would be used by myself and any parties ...
5
votes
1answer
45 views
Can I release an Excel Workbook with VBA code under the GPL v3?
This is my first foray into the open source world. I've got a Microsoft Excel workbook that I have some custom VBA modules in that I want to distribute under the GPL v3. I can't find much discussion ...
4
votes
1answer
70 views
GPL Application linked to a LGPL library loading proprietary-plugins
This is a bit similar to what asked in this question, unless that here the case is that the application only directly loads LGPL code, and this one then may dlopen a proprietary lib, so:
GPL Program ...
3
votes
1answer
127 views
Does using libraries under LGPL in my product limit my choice on how to license it?
I am developing a product that links to a number of LGPL (or compatible) licensed libraries.
The product itself is a creator tool for intellectual property work of its users. The LGPL libraries are ...
-3
votes
2answers
47 views
What happens when I use LGPL Qt 5 toolkit to link statically for a closed source (proprietary) application?
I come from a country "ALGERIA" where nobody buys a software license even the government, except fore rare cases where the government institution is very sensitive, other governmental institutions ...
0
votes
0answers
42 views
What are good arguments against my university teacher's justification, which is that the softwares taught are the industry standards?
I will have the chance to take part in a meeting with the whole department of my university program (translation degree) and I would like to address what I believe to be a major problem, namely the ...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Why doesn't Microsoft open-source the existing Edge browser?
Microsoft will soon make Edge a Chromium-based (i.e. WebKit) browser. This is good for Microsoft and the WebKit ecosystem, but not necessarily good for the web as a whole (since this further allows ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
GPL Application <-> LGPL Plugin <-> Properietary code
I would like to explicitly consider possibility of having either of
Fig.1:
(1-A) A GPL application with dlopen-based plugin system.
(1-B) LGPL plugin for application (1-A), that is linked to (1-C)
(...
0
votes
1answer
312 views
Push notifications for Android 8 open source app
I am developing an open source Android app that has push notifications.
If I understand https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/background#services correctly, Android 8 forces me to use ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
Can I develop a front-end under a different license than the GPL-license CLI application?
I want to develop and distribute a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for an existing command-line tool (LibLouis).
I want to do so using .NET WPF or Windows Forms, but the library of Liblouis is written ...
7
votes
1answer
705 views
Difference between MongoDB SSPL and GNU AGPL
I'm trying to understand the difference between the SSPL and the GNU AGPL license, after reading the terms of SSPL.
The 13th clause of the license states the following:
If you make the ...
3
votes
2answers
273 views
Can a closed-source software be free
I saw some closed-source software (for Windows), which license explicitly allows to do everything with it, including disassembling, decompiling and modification, but no source is distributed, though ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
When distributing a Linux kernel driver as source code, what's the difference between Proprietary and GPL license?
The company I work for is selling PCIe cards. I'm writing the Linux driver for it as a Linux kernel module.
When selling these PCIe cards, we give along the Linux kernel driver as source code. ...
3
votes
2answers
137 views
Can I publish only select code under GPLv3 from a private project?
So my team is planning to go open source with a project that has been in development together with an industry partner for some time now. We're not sure about the licensing yet, but GPLv3 looks ...
3
votes
1answer
190 views
Including the MIT copyright notice when the software is part of a larger proprietary software
From reading the license here I understand how I can use the software but the only condition it imposes has confused me.
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
included in ...
-3
votes
1answer
189 views
Which Creative Commons licenses are permissive enough for proprietary software?
We are releasing a software under a dual license APGLv3/proprietary.
To build it, we are reusing many components availabe on the web. For source code, those components have to be released with a ...
2
votes
3answers
523 views
Conditions on binaries incorporating BSD 3-clause licensed code
I have developed a software that uses (is statically linked to) code licensed under BSD 3-clause license. Just reading the license terms, it seems to me that I'm obliged to allow any one who I sell (...
5
votes
1answer
93 views
Is it legal to install GNU GPL v2 software alongside my proprietary software
I have developed a set of python-based tools for network testing, and I am currently building a GUI around it and I am going to attempt to sell it. My issue is one part of my code relies on wireshark, ...
6
votes
2answers
136 views
Do Licenses for Test Libraries Apply to Production Code?
(I am re-asking this question here, as I was informed that it was off-topic on Stack Overflow)
My interest in this question stems from concern over the lack of a license in a testing framework I came ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Can GoJS be included into an open source project?
Context: GoJS is not open source, its license stating in particular that modification is forbidden (though the fact that its source code is hosted on GitHub seems to confuse some people).
The ...
0
votes
1answer
138 views
Is it possible to write proprietary code that links to a shared library that's open source? Under what license and condition is it possible?
Is it possible to write proprietary code that links to a shared library that's open source? Under what license and condition are it possible?
5
votes
1answer
633 views
Optional GPL dependency in commercial Python application
I am developing a commerical clock application ("JJClock"), which is written in Python. What I will deliver to my customers will either be a .pyc file or a .so file ("compiled") with Cython -- the ...
-4
votes
1answer
113 views
How ethical and legal is it to develop proprietary software? [closed]
I am a freelancer and recently, built software for an organization. Our deal was for me to develop and submit software at whole. Hence, it is a proprietary software owned by that organization.
I've ...
3
votes
1answer
117 views
Opensource license ownership and collaboration
If a person releases their source under some Open source license. And later if another person contributes to the project through a pull request (in Github). Then, does the contributor gets a say if ...
35
votes
4answers
14k views
Is it legal to use GPL code in a proprietary, closed-source program by putting it in a separate, standalone program?
As we all know, the GNU General Public License (GPL) is a "copyleft" source license: which means it is designed not merely to make the code to which it is initially applied free and preserve its ...
2
votes
3answers
835 views
May I use AGPL license in a desktop application without providing the source code?
We develop a commercial desktop application that uses an AGPL library. The lib's code is just used, not modified. Our application runs completely offline.
May we use the AGPL library without having ...
4
votes
1answer
105 views
Libre Office and proprietary Microsoft file formats
Libre Office can open proprietary Microsoft file formats (although some features are unsupported). But how was it able to achieve this? Did they reverse engineer these formats from binaries?
In this ...
0
votes
1answer
903 views
Can I use GPL 3.0 or LGPL licensed libraries in my commercial closed source IOT product?
I am building an IOT product, an home automation solution, where I am using ESP8266 Arduino Core that is LGPL-2.1 and also few libraries which are GPL 3.0 licensed.
For security reasons I do not ...
1
vote
1answer
383 views
How do you copyright/license software based on MIT-licensed open source code?
I am a former developer that codes in my spare time for fun and to maintain some level knowledge in the subject. So I found an interesting proof of concept online. I saw the potential to modify it and ...
1
vote
1answer
216 views
AGPL/LGPL licensed app usage in proprietary software
I have software with proprietary license. For some reasons I need an AGPL library (DLL). So, for including the AGPL licensed application (To manage license terms) I am using the following methods (I ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Is there an existing license that is copy-left by default, but allows use in proprietary software through case-by-case negotiation?
I'm looking for a license which is designed such that anyone can use my code so long as the license they release it under is copy-left. However, I'd also like to be able to license my code out for ...
1
vote
0answers
288 views
Commercial application that uses R portable and R packages
I wrote an R script application that contains R packages and, mostly, my own code. I would like to sell the script as an application or as a gist (using gist.github.com) to be used by organizations ...
3
votes
1answer
219 views
Does an application linking to an unmodified LGPL-3 library need to be debugger-friendly?
I currently work on a proprietary, closed-source software suite, which is distributed to customers as part of a larger package (including various hardware and services).
The software suite uses LGPL-...
0
votes
0answers
138 views
How could other people know that I'm using GPLed libraries in my application?
I know nothing about GPL before, and I am living in a country that doesn't have much care about licenses either. I am studying this GPL thing today and I came to know that when I am using a GPLed ...
1
vote
1answer
297 views
How to write additional permission for LGPLv3 license
I’m planning to release my code under LGPLv3 license but I can’t find answers to several question.
Let me describe my situation:
I’ve created library and want to use LGPL v3 license for this code;
...
3
votes
1answer
322 views
GNU Lesser General Public License with signed C# assembly
We have a closed source software written in C# that we sell. All of our assemblies are signed. We want to use a third party assembly, that is published under the GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1....
3
votes
1answer
286 views
Will there be any obligation if I distribute GPLv3-licensed software inside the Docker container?
I have a GPLv3 code inside the container which I am planning to distribute. I also have a proprietary code in the same hardware where the GPLv3 code inside the container runs.
Does this mean I have ...
0
votes
1answer
224 views
Mixing GPL v3 and Proprietary library
My application has two parts GUI and a backend algorithm module. I have used a library under GPLv3 to write my GUI. In the GUI we can create a workflow of different digital signal processing units so ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
Proprietary desktop application that works with AGPL-licensed server application
I'm programming a desktop application that's proprietary. On my server, it will run application with the AGPL (Affero General Public License). Server app will process the data that will come through ...
5
votes
2answers
383 views
Dual license or relicense when the new license is more permissive?
An organization is considering changing the license of an OSS repo on GitHub. For the purposes of this question, assume that organization has the legal rights to change the license.
It is currently ...
3
votes
0answers
147 views
Ok to mix open source with closed source?
I am considering creating a product which has 2 parts:
Client (video screengrabbing) - which makes use of an existing (GPL licenced) screen grabber and uploads video + metadata to …
Server (video ...
3
votes
2answers
239 views
Are there legal issues with bundling one's own LGPL-licensed code with proprietary code?
My company's legal team is currently worried about how to move forward with some app releases intended for our enterprise customers.
Here's the gist of it:
We have many products referred to as "apps"...
1
vote
1answer
497 views
Can I add a git submodule with an All Rights Reserved license?
I have a project with GPL v3 license. And it has git submodules with the MIT, Apache v2 and All Rights Reserved due Berne Convention.
Am I violating copyright having public git submodules with All ...
4
votes
1answer
4k views
Is using MIT-licensed code in non-open source code considered stealing?
What if we use MIT-licensed code in our propietary software? Is it considered stealing?
I saw some software that was packaged with MIT licensed code in the installation directory.
Some people think ...
4
votes
1answer
121 views
Can software that depends on proprietary software be free?
Suppose I write a Matlab script and place it under the GPL. The question is whether the result can be considered free software.
On the one hand, the script itself is clearly free. On the other hand, ...
6
votes
1answer
307 views
GPL v2 and proprietary extensions
I am trying to understand when do the GPLv2 spreads from a program to its extensions and vice versa.
Everything I've read seems to say that if you use a module (shared library or any other "tightly ...
1
vote
2answers
91 views
Propietary software + GPL source code modified to work with my propietary software
1) I find the source code for a program that is GPL licenced (ie, a video player, which supports playing videos at 16k resolution! [joke]).
2) I wanna play a video on it, but it doesn't offer an ...
0
votes
2answers
591 views
copyleft licenses allowing dynamic linking with open-source program only
I am writing a library, currently under GPLv3 because I do not want my lib to be linked with a non open-source software.
A friend of mine is writing a program under the MIT X11 License and needs my ...
5
votes
2answers
152 views
Can an open source/free alternative put a company at risk? Has this ever happened?
There is a very nice quote by Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa (Spanish writer and inventor) which reads:
"El éxito o el fracaso de un invento no depende de a quien beneficia,
sino de a quien perjudica."
...
