Custom Distribution, restrictions?

Regular Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 62

hey guys,

im currently working on a custom php-nuke for myself - when im done i want to release it to the public, so they can use it if they like
- a bit like raven does, but nothing major

my question is, are there any restrictions applied by phpnuke, on distribution
other than not taking out the links and copyrights?

ive tried serching for the GPL (edited to GPL silly me)

but only thing i can find is the buying licences page.

if you could point me in the right direction?

Thanks

RavenLife

Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 6432

Search here for GPL and you'll find a wealth of information and opinion on this subject. Basically, you can create your own distribution if you like, as long as it only contains GPL stuff and doesn't remove copyrights in the source code.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:10 am

thanks - thats why i couldnt find it

does that mean i cant include addons such as - nsn groups and sentinel and such

or do all these have there own T&C of use

thanks

RL

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:05 am

NSN scripts (including NSN Groups and NukeSentinel) are not GPL. I think you need to get permission from the authors to include those in your distribution.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 11:22 am

Sorry to butt in.

I've read through a few of the discussions here relating to the GPL and the conclusion seems to be that if it needs Nuke to work then it is engulfed by the GPL and you can distribute it freely, as long as you keep the copyright intact?

A bit like how commercial themes can actually be distributed freely as they become covered by the GPL because they need Nuke to work.

registered · Theme Guru Joined: Nov 01, 2003 Posts: 1006

theme files sure but not the images associated with a custom theme.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:18 pm

jaded wrote:

theme files sure but not the images associated with a custom theme.

My understanding is that if the theme is distributed WITH the images, then they are cover by the GPL for the same reason - the theme (as against a template) requires nuke to work so is therefore GPL, the theme requires the images to 'work' so they too would be engulfed by the GPL unless the theme had place-holders or something to 'pad' the area where the image should be or the images are distributed seperately.

I may be wrong as my short term memory is useless but thats what I have in my notes.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:20 pm

yes, a custom theme, one of mine, is not be distributed that way. My images are a seperate entity. I find it hard to believe that any theme maker would put the custom images into a theme distribution. If they are they should stop doing that immediatly. Mine are not and therefore the images are not GPL.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:26 pm

Thanks for that jaded. Yes, it is kind of hard to believe most theme designers are still including images with their theme dostr's and lets be honest, some of them are very talented with graphics.

ravenlife - definitely get the uathors permissions before including ANY third party modules/blocks etc. Regardless of any license conditions etc it is the only professional way to go about it.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:33 pm

exactly. I agree completely with Guardian. Even if it were not really a legal obligation there is a professional ethic that people should observe. As a side note, yes some of them are VERY talented and I hope that they will protect their work by changing the distribution techniques that they have.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:37 pm

jakec, I don't disagree that you could include scripts that require PHP-Nuke. But I don't believe you should without asking the authors' permission.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:55 pm

Placer holder images are the way to get the package broken up for GPL. Have all the images say for $xx.xx you can have all these mages. Or something along those lines.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:41 pm

i seem to have gotten myself a discussioni going here.

i have no problems with asking for permission for addons - its curtesy really.

i stand to make no money out of this or any other gain for that matter - i thought though that once completed somebody else might like it. hence releasing it on my site

i will ask all of the third party addons creators (if i can find them)

just like i say as a matter of curtesy
and of course to thank them for there hard work

thanks to all who have replied

@ Jaded - im gunna get back to you on that theme, i promise

RL

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:47 pm

Actually, I could have sworn that there was something related to "visible copyrights" also had to be retained, but I might be mistaken. There is ONE summary thread here on Raven's site that is really, really complete about this. You might want to look for it as Kguske has suggested.

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:39 am

Quote:

But I don't believe you should without asking the authors' permission.

I totally agree with you, unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who aren't so thoughtful, there are a few websites I can think of, but that's been covered in another thread so I won't go into it now.

Here's the link to the summary by djmaze:

http://www.ravenphpscripts.com/posts8424-highlight-gpl.html

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 3:06 am

thanks guys - again

[edit]
after reading through the post - it seems i can do pretty much anything i like within reason. (for the project im doing )

the theme ill be using is the standard nuke one - so nothing there to worry about,

ill be using quite a few addons/hacks - but ill seek out there respective authors - so no real problems there.
i wont be trying to charge ppl - so no problems there.
i wont be adding my own copyright - because none of the stuff is actually mine.

i'm basicly just making the thing for myself - and then releasing it to the public - so they dont have to put in all the work themselves.

from reading that and your comments - i dont see what im doing could break any rules.

thanks again for all the help guys
(and sorry for not searching properly)

RavenLife

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:23 am

If its out there and offered without cost, you can add anything you like and distribute it publicly. Just leave it as is, as in another post, dont remove any copyrights

But you can add your own copyright to the bottom, ADD not replace.

As long as nothing you are using is paid, then you should be fine.

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:23 am

i wouldnt remove the copyrights anyways -

- i've seen the replys on certain forums (not this one)

to ppl that have either by accident or on purpose
and they wern't very polite!

thanks again to you all for you help

ill let you know how it all turns out

Rl