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
0
votes
1answer
38 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
71 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
35 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
49 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 ...
29
votes
4answers
9k 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
145 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 ...
3
votes
0answers
54 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
93 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
84 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
76 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
44 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 ...
0
votes
0answers
50 views
Integrating the GPL with non GPL program
I have developed a software and selling it for some fee. As add on feature to my software, I need an open source project licensed under GPL. My software cannot be made as GPL and I cannot make my ...
1
vote
0answers
47 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
93 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
56 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
156 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
139 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
140 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
96 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
55 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
174 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
83 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
78 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
212 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
799 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
87 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
161 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
80 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
305 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
124 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
4k 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
42 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
102 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
68 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
454 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
68 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
194 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
304 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
60 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
696 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
698 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
Proprietary Software Developed by Non-Profit Volunteers
I and a group of developers that met online have come up with an idea for a website we would like to create. I am struggling to see how our idea would survive with an open source business model. How ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Is GPLv3 violated by releasing proprietary code as a GnuPG-signed package?
I'm working on building a proprietary application that I would like to release as PGP-signed Debian packages.
I heard I might be forced to release the source to my proprietary application simply due ...
17
votes
1answer
2k views
Are all docker images free (i.e. GPL)?
Looking at the GPLv2 FAQ. I'd like to incorporate GPL-covered software in my proprietary system. Can I do this?.
Since, any typical Linux distribution base image contains a variety of GPL-licensed ...
6
votes
1answer
341 views
License for R scripts
As long as I understood a piece of code is data for the interpreter and thus according to this Q&A an R script is not automatically licensed under GPL. Is that correct?
So if I make an R script ...
4
votes
1answer
233 views
As owner of GPL library, can I break the licensing terms?
As far as I understand, choosing GPL licence for library does not permits use of it in proprietary programs as opposed to LGPL.
So releasing my library (or code classes), I'm forcing people to use ...
2
votes
1answer
403 views
How can LGPL and proprietary licenses be combined?
I have a project, a big portion of which can be released as LGPL, but there are still some portions that must keep a more restrictive license. I'm not sure what exactly is allowed. The intent is ...
9
votes
1answer
401 views
How to accept contributions for AGPL / proprietary dual-licensed projects?
Supposed I have written a software that I offer using a dual-license model, using AGPLv3 as OSS license, and a proprietary one as commercial (closed) license.
Now, let's assume somebody wants to ...
2
votes
1answer
212 views
How can I structure my program to honor the AGPL and a proprietary license scheme?
I am writing an HTML5/JavaScript app (A) with a closed-source license, into which I wish to import data from third-party program (B). I wrote a library to read (B)'s data files, but as it is a ...
3
votes
2answers
200 views
GPL, LGPL or MPL for open source app with closed source Pro flavour
I have had a fairly popular Android business app on Google Play a while now. It is available as a free version and a version with features targeted to bigger businesses.
I am currently in the process ...
