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
3
votes
1answer
56 views
Difference between MongoDB SSPL license 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
92 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
43 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
42 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
73 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
86 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
63 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
92 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
252 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
92 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?
4
votes
1answer
209 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
65 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
60 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 ...
30
votes
4answers
10k 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 ...
1
vote
3answers
343 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
79 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
426 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
168 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
133 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
51 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
140 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
149 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-...
1
vote
0answers
59 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
225 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;
...
4
votes
1answer
205 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
193 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
157 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
65 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
275 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
98 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
123 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"...
0
votes
1answer
308 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
2k 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
99 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, ...
7
votes
1answer
239 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
87 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
409 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
132 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."
...
7
votes
1answer
6k views
Use of BSD-3 Clause license and python software license for proprietary use
I am making a software in python programming language which uses libraries licensed under BSD-3 clause. Is it necessary for me to show my source code to users? Also can I restrict the distribution of ...
3
votes
1answer
47 views
Mozilla Public License for core open source modules but proprietary modules?
I have built a framework that has the core modules: module1, module2, module3, module4.
But I have also build module5 that uses the core modules and also derives classes from the module1. I want ...
3
votes
1answer
135 views
Android GPL app that opens a closed source app
Is legal if I edit an open source app with GPL license and make it open source again with GPL license but for doing some tasks it opens another app that is not open source?
For example: GPL app ...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Use a modified GPLV3 library - what code should be made public?
Situation: A commercial product, using a locally modified GPLV3 licensed library. GPLV3 clearly requires to disclose source code.
Question: Which source code are we talking about about ?
(a) The ...
2
votes
1answer
589 views
MIT license ambiguity about copyright?
I asked this question in softwareengineering.stackexchange.com but it was pointed out to me that it is better suited to be posted here. I deleted the original thread in the other subforum.
So the ...
0
votes
1answer
80 views
Can I make a closed-source game if part of it utilizes a EUPL-licenced code?
I want to make an app game in which I make use of a code that is licensed under the EUPL. The code will probably make up about 10 to 20 percent of the game's entire code (the rest will be original ...
5
votes
2answers
235 views
Re-implementation of a proprietary API
There is a proprietary library whose API I want to re-implement, which is provided to the users with specification, and its use is limited by its license to internal evaluation (to develop programs ...
13
votes
3answers
342 views
Can Apple require users to accept the Xcode/iOS license to use git?
After launching an upgrade of XCode on a MacOS Sierra, calling git in a
terminal suprisingly results in:
$ git
Agreeing to the Xcode/iOS license requires admin privileges,
please re-run as root via ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
How open or proprietary are the various PBX systems?
Is the following situation with FreePBX standard for VoIP?
Why Not Use FreePBX 13? Glad you asked. Despite the freepbx.org
facelift1 and the eternal message that “The ‘Free’ Stands for
Freedom,”...
2
votes
2answers
849 views
how did Elastix move from GPL to proprietary?
I'm just scratching the surface for VoIP with Elastix. I notice that Elastix 2.x is "open source" but 5.x is proprietary?
Looking into licensing from the manual on Elastix brings:
http://www.3cx....
4
votes
2answers
702 views
Can license-incompatible program communicate with GPLv2 program via websocket?
I'm writing a program for automation under a license that is incompatible with GPLv2 (it's dual-licensed: GPLv3/Proprietary). Let's call it my automation program.
And there is third party GPLv2 ...
