malshab Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 I suspect that a certain company has changed osCommerce a bit, added few options, translated it, and changed all osCommerce mentions. There is no access to their source code, and no details about the license. The company is selling webhosting packages with an option to use this modified version of osCommerce. Is this considered a violation of the license terms? If so, who should I inform about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 There is no access to their source code, and no details about the license. what you mean there is no access? If you buy it you'll get the code right? So if it's gpl you can redistribute it according to the gpl rules. But there is no rule that says you cannot charge for a product/package just because it's gpl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynamoeffects Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 GPLv2 states that you can use GPL'd software within your organziation, modify it however you want, and don't have to release the source code unless you release the software itself to the public. If you offer a webhosting service where people can use osCommerce, but not download it, the service provider is not obliged to release the source code or any of the modifications that they've added. This is one of the "loopholes" that instigated the work on GPLv3 and closing it will effectively kill all commercial use of GPL'd software because in order to use a single library, the company's entire codebase related to that library will need to be offered to the public. Please use the forums for support! I am happy to help you here, but I am unable to offer free technical support over instant messenger or e-mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 If you offer a webhosting service where people can use osCommerce, but not download it, the service provider is not obliged to release the source code or any of the modifications that they've added. I do not understand how a service provider can give you oscommerce without you, having the php files or having access to them. And when you do have access you do as you please according to GPL. Sell them, release them for free, etc. It's exactly the same as the provider releasing the source because he did gave you access to the files. It's like releasing them outside the company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynamoeffects Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I do not understand how a service provider can give you oscommerce without you, having the php files or having access to them. And when you do have access you do as you please according to GPL. Sell them, release them for free, etc. It's exactly the same as the provider releasing the source because he did gave you access to the files. It's like releasing them outside the company. Simple. You create a normal web hosting account for them, but you simply don't give FTP access to the account. The term is "Application Service Provider", where the users access computers within your own organization, so you aren't distributing anything. It's no different than every person here who has osCommerce installed and available to the public. It's GPL'd software that you expect the public to use, but you don't expect to allow them to view your modified source code or even make it available as a download. I just read through the latest revision of the GPLv3 and luckily it's not as stringent as the last revision regarding this point, so my above comment that it would kill all commercial use is incorrect. Please use the forums for support! I am happy to help you here, but I am unable to offer free technical support over instant messenger or e-mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Simple. You create a normal web hosting account for them, but you simply don't give FTP access to the account. The term is "Application Service Provider", where the users access computers within your own organization, so you aren't distributing anything. But then it is different, because you don't have a store owner but a user. It's like you install the affiliates contribution where the affiliate uses an account but of course doesn't access the php files. I don't know how practical it is though, with entire stores. Because you need to give options to the store owner to upload/download files with oscommerce. (different shipping, payment, order totals, images, other features, too many things - and if they do that, they release the files effectively, so goes back to gpl) And it will be a nightmare for the provider to give support under such circumstances. Unless they offer a fixed package which drastically limits their competition abilities vs any real osc store owner and that's an advantage for oscommerce in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbixx Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Unless they restrict them to particular directories such as the image directory... But now we're getting petty :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Unless they restrict them to particular directories such as the image directory... But now we're getting petty :P Yea it will be, but that you have it from the catalog end like if you have the "customer add product" contribution installed in effect you have the same thing. And as customers increase, the support you would require to do something like that, won't just be proportional rather geometric, because stores with good revenue have all sorts of requirements a static package cannot satisfy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozEworks Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 One item to note is that they cannot remove the osCommerce Copyright notice from Admin. If they have them it violates the licence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snagz Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 One item to note is that they cannot remove the osCommerce Copyright notice from Admin. If they have them it violates the licence. are they allowed to remove the 'powered by oscommerce' from the main shop then? I've seen a few modified oscommerce sites that have no reference to oscommerce at all in the footer, almost as if they are trying to pass them off as all their own work. When I built our site, I kept the powered by oscommerce bit and simply added that it had been modified by me. Just seemed the right thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snagz Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 scrub my question. I've just found the answer here: http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=275741 still think leaving the powered by oscommerce is the right thing to do though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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