Hi all. I have a question regarding the MediaWiki license and the possibility of developing commercial software on top of MediaWiki; if this list isn't the correct address, please let me know who I should ask.
I'm considering developing a commercial product on top of MediaWiki. I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does this mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share it with the community? Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different license, and make proprietary developments without having to open them up? Or perhaps I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to open them up? I'll be much appreciative if you could help me understand which options I have.
Many thanks, --JR
I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does this mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share it with the community?
No. GPL states that if you distribute the application, you must provide the source or be willing to do so if asked.
Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different license
I sincerely doubt it.
Or perhaps I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to open them up?
Since MW is PHP based, it's hard to create extensions in such a way that distribution precludes distributing source.
As a general coding practice, it's best if you can keep all your modifications in extensions. If you get into the business of core-hacking, it'll make your life very difficult when you decide you want to upgrade the base system.
Just my $0.02, and I am not a lawyer.
-- Jim R. Wilson (jimbojw)
On 10/22/07, John Relent jrelent@gmail.com wrote:
Hi all. I have a question regarding the MediaWiki license and the possibility of developing commercial software on top of MediaWiki; if this list isn't the correct address, please let me know who I should ask.
I'm considering developing a commercial product on top of MediaWiki. I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does this mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share it with the community? Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different license, and make proprietary developments without having to open them up? Or perhaps I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to open them up? I'll be much appreciative if you could help me understand which options I have.
Many thanks, --JR _______________________________________________ MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
Thanks Jim, this is helpful. Do you know of someone in the project team, or perhaps in the Wikipedia Foundation, who can provide an official answer to these questions?
Thanks, --JR
On 10/22/07, Jim Wilson wilson.jim.r@gmail.com wrote:
I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does
this
mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share it
with the
community?
No. GPL states that if you distribute the application, you must provide the source or be willing to do so if asked.
Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different license
I sincerely doubt it.
Or perhaps I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to
open
them up?
Since MW is PHP based, it's hard to create extensions in such a way that distribution precludes distributing source.
As a general coding practice, it's best if you can keep all your modifications in extensions. If you get into the business of core-hacking, it'll make your life very difficult when you decide you want to upgrade the base system.
Just my $0.02, and I am not a lawyer.
-- Jim R. Wilson (jimbojw)
On 10/22/07, John Relent jrelent@gmail.com wrote:
Hi all. I have a question regarding the MediaWiki license and the possibility of developing commercial software on top of MediaWiki; if
this
list isn't the correct address, please let me know who I should ask.
I'm considering developing a commercial product on top of MediaWiki. I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does this mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share it
with
the community? Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different
license,
and make proprietary developments without having to open them up? Or
perhaps
I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to open them up? I'll be much appreciative if you could help me understand which options
I
have.
Many thanks, --JR _______________________________________________ MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
John,
Check out extensions from Google/ Amazon they may be a model of what you want to do. They don't open up the core code and are commercial services.
Thanks,
Nikhil
-----Original Message----- From: mediawiki-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:mediawiki-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of John Relent Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 03:09 To: MediaWiki announcements and site admin list Subject: Re: [Mediawiki-l] MediaWiki license question
Thanks Jim, this is helpful. Do you know of someone in the project team, or perhaps in the Wikipedia Foundation, who can provide an official answer to these questions?
Thanks, --JR
On 10/22/07, Jim Wilson wilson.jim.r@gmail.com wrote:
I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does
this
mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share
it
with the
community?
No. GPL states that if you distribute the application, you must provide the source or be willing to do so if asked.
Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different license
I sincerely doubt it.
Or perhaps I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to
open
them up?
Since MW is PHP based, it's hard to create extensions in such a way that distribution precludes distributing source.
As a general coding practice, it's best if you can keep all your modifications in extensions. If you get into the business of core-hacking, it'll make your life very difficult when you decide you want to upgrade the base system.
Just my $0.02, and I am not a lawyer.
-- Jim R. Wilson (jimbojw)
On 10/22/07, John Relent jrelent@gmail.com wrote:
Hi all. I have a question regarding the MediaWiki license and the possibility of developing commercial software on top of MediaWiki; if
this
list isn't the correct address, please let me know who I should ask.
I'm considering developing a commercial product on top of MediaWiki.
I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does this mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop
and share it
with
the community? Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different
license,
and make proprietary developments without having to open them up? Or
perhaps
I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to open them
up?
I'll be much appreciative if you could help me understand which options
I
have.
Many thanks, --JR _______________________________________________ MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
_______________________________________________ MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
John,
If it were me, I'd ask Brion, but you're not the first person to ask that question. It has been rehashed a few times in this list.
-- Jim
On 10/23/07, Shah, Nikhil Nikhil.Shah@lendingtree.com wrote:
John,
Check out extensions from Google/ Amazon they may be a model of what you want to do. They don't open up the core code and are commercial services.
Thanks,
Nikhil
-----Original Message----- From: mediawiki-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:mediawiki-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of John Relent Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 03:09 To: MediaWiki announcements and site admin list Subject: Re: [Mediawiki-l] MediaWiki license question
Thanks Jim, this is helpful. Do you know of someone in the project team, or perhaps in the Wikipedia Foundation, who can provide an official answer to these questions?
Thanks, --JR
On 10/22/07, Jim Wilson wilson.jim.r@gmail.com wrote:
I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does
this
mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop and share
it
with the
community?
No. GPL states that if you distribute the application, you must provide the source or be willing to do so if asked.
Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different license
I sincerely doubt it.
Or perhaps I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to
open
them up?
Since MW is PHP based, it's hard to create extensions in such a way that distribution precludes distributing source.
As a general coding practice, it's best if you can keep all your modifications in extensions. If you get into the business of core-hacking, it'll make your life very difficult when you decide you want to upgrade the base system.
Just my $0.02, and I am not a lawyer.
-- Jim R. Wilson (jimbojw)
On 10/22/07, John Relent jrelent@gmail.com wrote:
Hi all. I have a question regarding the MediaWiki license and the possibility of developing commercial software on top of MediaWiki; if
this
list isn't the correct address, please let me know who I should ask.
I'm considering developing a commercial product on top of MediaWiki.
I understood that MediaWiki is provided with the GPL license, so does this mean I will have to open up any proprietary code I develop
and share it
with
the community? Is there a way to obtain MediaWiki under a different
license,
and make proprietary developments without having to open them up? Or
perhaps
I can develop commercial MediaWiki plugins and not have to open them
up?
I'll be much appreciative if you could help me understand which options
I
have.
Many thanks, --JR _______________________________________________ MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
MediaWiki-l mailing list MediaWiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
mediawiki-l@lists.wikimedia.org