[wp-hackers] Premium plugin protection

[Doug Stewart]

On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 6:27 PM, Michael Torbert <mrtorbert at gmail.com> wrote:
> That's not at all how that was intended in GPL. You can view PHP code when
> you download the software, but obviously this isn't the case for compiled
> code written in other languages. That's what the license is referring to. I
> write x software for you in Clarion, license it as GPL, distribute it, but
> you don't automatically have the source code since it's compiled. However,
> if it's GPL, you can ask me for the source code.
> This wasn't intended as a way for you to try and limit access to your
> source. That completely goes against what the license (and open source in
> general) is trying to do.
> Stop trying to make open source adapt to you.

I certainly hope you're not hearing  me as advocating for this
approach. I'm arguing, rather, that it is possible to do so.

...And the whole point of open source software IS to allow me to adapt
it to me. I can take the software, modify the ever-loving heck out of
it and never redistribute a single byte and still be in compliance
with the license. It's only when I go to make a business out of it (or
even just start giving away the end product) that the GPL comes into
effect.

-- 
-Doug
@zamoose
http://literalbarrage.org/blog/