77
votes
Accepted
Why do some people refer to Linux as GNU/Linux?
The GNU project was created to produce a free software alternative to Unix. They were able to produce most of the programs an operating system would provide, but their kernel, the GNU Hurd, was not ...
- 7,556
51
votes
Accepted
Can others monetize my project with GPLv3?
Yes, what is being done on that fork is entirely legal.
However, you are also allowed to take the useful changes (like the translation) and incorporate them in your own fork. Then you can advertise ...
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25
votes
Why do some people refer to Linux as GNU/Linux?
Linux vs. GNU/Linux
Terminology and History-in-Brief
In common usage, the terms Linux and GNU/Linux IPA: /ɡəˈnuː slæʃ ˈlɪnəks/ † [though often said sans 'slash', the FSF recommendation is to ...
- 359
22
votes
Accepted
Does GPLv3 require attribution?
TL;DR
I believe that GNU GPLv3 does not require attribution, [...] Am I correct in my understanding of GPLv3?
No, the GPL-3.0 always requires attribution composed at the minimum of a copyright ...
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17
votes
Accepted
How to change the licence of Java project from GNU/ GPL to MIT / BSD / Apache
You cannot change the license of code from others, such as mysql-connector-java. That license is set by the author of that particular component (Oracle company).
If your client stated the requirement ...
- 1,093
16
votes
Why do some people refer to Linux as GNU/Linux?
It's to distinguish GNU/Linux from other operating environments built on Linux. Each of the following environments combines Linux proper, which is a kernel, with a different "userland", or set of ...
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13
votes
Software licensing - Pre 1970's
Was the software(before 1970's) released with free source?
Well, there was surely software released with and without free source, and lots of machine code software where the distinction was of minor ...
- 361
13
votes
Does using the GPL for a program make it GNU software?
No, it does not; releasing it under the GNU GPL makes your program free software.
The GNU project has a web page outlining what you need to do to offer your software to be part of the GNU project, ...
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12
votes
Accepted
Why are only so few Linux distributions listed by the GNU project?
They only list GNU/Linux distributions that follow the GNU FSDG (Free System Distribution Guidelines).
That the software (as well as the documentation, fonts etc.) is licensed under an appropriate ...
- 5,310
12
votes
Why are only so few Linux distributions listed by the GNU project?
At the bottom of the page you linked is a link named "why we don't endorse some common distributions"
There you will find this text:
We're often asked why we don't endorse a particular system—...
- 2,128
11
votes
Software licensing - Pre 1970's
Your question is very unclear and confused, but the simple answer is: before the 1970s, software wasn't copyrightable in the US, so the very idea of "licensing" doesn't apply. You cannot put a ...
- 870
8
votes
Accepted
GitHub with temporary code under 'GNU General Public License'
Firstly, we have already addressed the question of what licence applies to GitHub-hosted content in the absence of a specific licence declaration, and the prevailing (though not the only) opinion ...
- 38.5k
8
votes
Accepted
What's the point of running free software on non-free hardware?
I don't think your question admits of an answer better than "you are right, it's not a great idea".
But it may help to know you're not the only person who thinks this way. I heard Georg Greve, ex-...
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8
votes
Can others monetize my project with GPLv3?
IANAL, but I believe this is legal within GPLv3.
That is why there exists Affero General Public License (AGPLv3) license. This will force them to share any source code changes if running it on a web ...
8
votes
Accepted
GPL Licensed Woocommerce paid plugins
If I download that plugins from another website for free, can I use it for my small business for free legally?
The terms and conditions page of WooCommerce states that the products themselves are ...
- 23.3k
8
votes
Accepted
How is the GPL3 for GNU coreutils satisfied when I pull a docker image?
The short answer is that, for my money, it's not.
I agree with you that for GNU Coreutils, this is a s6d conveyance. I haven't followed the links that start at Docker Hub and flow through GitHub all ...
- 38.5k
8
votes
Accepted
Is ONLYOFFICE restricting our freedom with their FAQ? (AGPL v3)
It is unfortunately fairly common for companies to overstate the restrictions of the AGPL. But as the AGPL states, additional restrictions can be removed.
This answer is primarily based on the GPLv3 ...
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7
votes
Why do some people refer to Linux as GNU/Linux?
They are different terms for the same thing, used by two different groups of people. Use of the GNU/Linux name is done at the explicit request of Richard Stallman and the GNU Project. You can read ...
- 38.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Can I edit software under GNU Lesser GPL for my paid app
You're most certainly allowed to edit it. That's one of the cornerstones of all free and open software. However, you must also make your edited version available as source code under the same terms as ...
- 2,356
7
votes
Accepted
GNU GPL Licensing
This is a lot of questions, and should perhaps be split into several different questions. But I'll answer what I can.
We do have other Open source component that we would need to integrate with ...
- 866
7
votes
Accepted
Are license headers required under the AGPLv3?
This is a misunderstanding.
The previous paragraphs talk about the requirements for the GPL and LGPL. Since the LGPLv3 is written as the GPL plus a set of extra permissions, you need to include both ...
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6
votes
Accepted
Can I sell my project using GNU GPL v3?
Can I use own GNU GPL v3 library in my commercial projects?
Yes, as long as you own the rights to your own code, you could license it to other under the GPL for free or commercially for a fee. For ...
- 13.9k
6
votes
Accepted
What are the implications of glibc (GNU C Library)
Under the normal circumstances that your question present (i.e. dynamic linking to a library assumed to exist on the user's system and thus not distributed with the program) the following part of the ...
- 2,356
6
votes
How much of my code becomes GPL if I use some GPL code and how different does my code have to be to not be GPL?
Copyright law is centered around making a copy of something and then doing things with that copy. How such a copy is made is usually not specified in the copyright laws, which makes that a "...
- 23.3k
6
votes
How to change the licence of Java project from GNU/ GPL to MIT / BSD / Apache
mysql-connector/j is licensed as GPLv2 by Oracle but has a FOSS Exception. If you want to distribute your software as FOSS, you can choose any license "that is OSI-approved and/or categorized by ...
- 265
6
votes
Accepted
What to do if someone forked your project and removed its license?
He removed the license in his forked repo's README and just added a section where he credited my repo.
This is a violation of the copyright license under which he forked your repository. By violating ...
- 23.3k
5
votes
Can you commercialize a GNU General Public License product?
Firstly, and foremost, IANAL/IANYL.
That said, as I understand this question, you have been asked by a third party to do some commercial website development, the website to be hosted on drupal, and ...
- 38.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Can I show a GNU GPL licensed software in a TV movie?
I think your problem is largely equivalent to the licensing of screenshots, and that problem has a definitive answer: A screenshot of the user interface of some software is a derivative work of that ...
- 33.8k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible