[wp-forums] How To Handle Links/Recommendations to non-GPL Themes/Plugins

[Mika A. Epstein]

> I'd just suggest a modlook. We don't get that many, so a few more per
> day isn't going to cause any problem. Then theme links can be 
> removed,
> if necessary.

I don't even think it needs a modlook (which I only DON'T like because 
then all the posts from the topic show up in my rss feed, and theme 
posts get pretty long ;) ).  A comment in the thread to point out the 
non-GPLness and then report the theme/plugin to the 'right place.'

I also don't see how it's an endorsement by WPORG by a thinking person 
any more than a link to my site would be seen as an endorsement.  It's 
not advertising, though yes I know it's a slippery slope between a link 
to a tech article I wrote on a topic, and self-pimping (it's like porn - 
I know it when I see it).  The unthinking, who would see it as 
endorsement, aren't going to be helped, or educated, by closing a post 
or removing a link anyway.  They'd just get more confused.  A reply with 
an explanation has a CHANCE of being read.

The GPL restriction is for being hosted BY the wordpress.org repos, and 
after that it's not really OUR job to go after places like Theme-Junkie 
and tell them "Hey! You're in GPL vio! *tough guy pose*".  Actually I 
don't even know where we SHOULD send external theme GPL-vio reports... 
Internal would easily be theme-reviewers, and plugins to plugsins[at] 
... Probably WordPress Foundation? But that feels wrong too.

Point is... It's really a huge grey area (which is why I said we should 
come here to hash it out, not stay in the forum).  In that specific 
case, it was noted in thread that the theme was non-GPL.

"Non GPL products are not welcome in the WordPress community.  All 
plugins and themes that are publicly released are required to adhere to 
http://wordpress.org/about/gpl/ - Any support requests for non-GPL 
products are usually ignored, in the interests of supporting the 
community and its freedoms."

-- 
Mika A Epstein (aka Ipstenu)
http://ipstenu.org