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

[Chip Bennett]

With slight word-smithing, I like this, and will use it henceforth:

"Non GPL products are not welcome in the WordPress community.  Official
WordPress policy states that all plugins and themes that are publicly
released are required to adhere to
http://wordpress.org/about/**gpl/<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."


That seems to strike a good balance: users are notified that the linked
Theme does not conform to WPORG policy/philosophy, and other volunteers are
alerted/encouraged not to provide support related to such Theme.

Thanks!

Chip

On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 9:47 AM, Mika A. Epstein <ipstenu at ipstenu.org>wrote:

> 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/ <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
>
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