[wp-hackers] A question about donation link

[aaron at xavisys.com]

Of course plugins aren't allowed to put a link for the plugin or author outside the admin panel unless it's opt in (not opt out), so plugins and themes are already treated at least a little differently.

Having said that, I don't have a problem with a donation link as mentioned, as long as it's worded as being optional.  If you say "To uncheck this box and hide the credits, you must first donate" then that would be different (in my opinion).

-----Original Message-----
From: "scribu" <scribu at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 4:50pm
To: wp-hackers at lists.automattic.com
Subject: Re: [wp-hackers] A question about donation link

Several plugins hosted on Extend that I use have a donation button on their
settings page, so I think it's only fair to allow the same thing for themes.

___
http://scribu.net


On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 1:44 AM, Jordi Canals <jcanals at alkivia.net> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> From long time ago, I maintain a theme for WordPress, this theme always had
> a small line at the page footer with the text "Theme design by
> [project-name] project." with a link to the site where information, support
> and documentation about the theme can be found.
>
> In December, as a new customization option, I decided to include a checkbox
> on the theme options page to allow users to remove the credits line,
> followed by a link to suggest a donation. That locked like this:
>
> [] Disable public theme credits.
> If disabling the credits, please, consider <a href="%s">donating to the
> project</a>
>
> Because of this donation link, the new theme version was rejected on the
> themes site, as them considered the donation link as a licensing option.
> The theme is 100% GPL and has no licensing options, it's just GPL. I think
> that asking users to consider donating to the project if them remove the
> credits footer it's something reasonable and asking to consider donating
> cannot be considered a licensing option.
>
> So, I've been forced to remove the donation link and still telling the site
> admin there is no commercial version of the theme and that I don't have any
> licensing option for it, The theme is just licensed under the GPL terms and
> there is no option for any other license.
>
> Having this kind of trouble because a donation link that have been removed,
> really discourages to continue writing and maintaining WordPress themes and
> plugins. I've been waiting from December 18 for the theme to be published
> and some time lost in email discussions about the link. The donation link
> was removed on December 19, as soon as them told me that could not be
> accepted, but any release from them have been published because of it.
>
> Do you think the donation link violates the GPL license and can be
> understood as a licensing option?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Jordi Canals.