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A trend I've seen with some companies is that they mark their software as GPL but make it really hard to either find there source code (you have contact them fo

A trend I've seen with some companies is that they mark their software as GPL but make it really hard to either find there source code (you have contact them for it) or make the build files for the source code non-GPL so you cannot build it. That effectively makes it impossible to redistribute their software under GPL.

2Gkashmiri 5y ago
Erpnext.com is GPL 3.0 but you are "expected to not fork the software because we have built it in a way that any change in a fork would need to be changed multiple times reducing its effect. The upside is, you use the software but pay us support money. You are free to check the source code but please please do not fork as our livelihood depends on brand erpnext and the support. A fork hurts that so please don't. "
- wizzwizz4 5y ago
  You're allowed to use the code for whatever else you like, though. For instance, if you want to grab some of their HTTP-handling code, or maybe the markup parser, or perhaps look at how they got modeless key combinations to work in the browser… you can just copy-and-paste into any GPLv3 or AGPLv3 codebase, add a comment for attribution and you're done. GPL is good for more than just forking.
ddtaylor 5y ago
The GPL actually requires that build files are also included: > The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means all the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to control those activities. However, it does not include the work's System Libraries, or general-purpose tools or generally available free programs which are used unmodified in performing those activities but which are not part of the work. For example, Corresponding Source includes interface definition files associated with source files for the work, and the source code for shared libraries and dynamically linked subprograms that the work is specifically designed to require, such as by intimate data communication or control flow between those subprograms and other parts of the work.

2Gkashmiri 5y ago

Erpnext.com is GPL 3.0 but you are "expected to not fork the software because we have built it in a way that any change in a fork would need to be changed multiple times reducing its effect. The upside is, you use the software but pay us support money. You are free to check the source code but please please do not fork as our livelihood depends on brand erpnext and the support. A fork hurts that so please don't. "

wizzwizz4 5y ago
You're allowed to use the code for whatever else you like, though. For instance, if you want to grab some of their HTTP-handling code, or maybe the markup parser, or perhaps look at how they got modeless key combinations to work in the browser… you can just copy-and-paste into any GPLv3 or AGPLv3 codebase, add a comment for attribution and you're done. GPL is good for more than just forking.

ddtaylor 5y ago

The GPL actually requires that build files are also included: > The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means all the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to control those activities. However, it does not include the work's System Libraries, or general-purpose tools or generally available free programs which are used unmodified in performing those activities but which are not part of the work. For example, Corresponding Source includes interface definition files associated with source files for the work, and the source code for shared libraries and dynamically linked subprograms that the work is specifically designed to require, such as by intimate data communication or control flow between those subprograms and other parts of the work.