I would appreciate some help with this. I read the GPL license and basically it says you can do whatever you want with the software (sell, modify) as long as you include the source code, the License and make any changes you make available in the same manner to all others. My questions is this: If I develop an external application (say a Call Center application or a GUI management application) that uses Asterisk data is that also GPLd? I understand if I add code to Asterisk, but what about external interfaces? Where is the seperation here of the Cathedral and the Bazaar? Thanks -- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
Steven Critchfield
2003-Sep-29 06:39 UTC
[Asterisk-Users] Help with GPL license of Asterisk
On Mon, 2003-09-29 at 07:38, costas wrote:> I would appreciate some help with this. I read the GPL license and > basically it says you can do whatever you want with the software > (sell, modify) as long as you include the source code, the License and > make any changes you make available in the same manner to all others. > > My questions is this: If I develop an external application (say a Call > Center application or a GUI management application) that uses Asterisk > data is that also GPLd? I understand if I add code to Asterisk, but > what about external interfaces? > > Where is the seperation here of the Cathedral and the Bazaar?If you have to link your software with a GPL library or use header files you have used GPL files and will be required to honor the license. If you use AGI, the stdin/stdout sufficiently isolates the parts. An other option that is available is to negotiate a proprietary license with Digium. Currently all code in asterisk is available to be licensed in a form other than GPL. -- Steven Critchfield <critch@basesys.com>
A few answers: 1) if your application is not released to a 3rd party, you do not have to make the source available 2) if you build your application as a module that loads into a stock asterisk server, you do not have to disclose your source 3) if you need to make changes to the core in order for your application to work, you'll need to disclose source for your changes to the core, but not for your application. This sounds horrid, but it's not too bad, as your simply augmenting the core API and keeping your goodies in the binary only portion of the release. With that said, if you're writing an application that you would like to sell, your IP lawyer should be able to easily decipher the GPL and advise you as to which parts of your code need to be made public. -- Troy Settle Pulaski Networks http://www.psknet.com 540.994.4254 ~ 866.477.5638 Pulaski Chamber 2002 Small Business Of The Year> -----Original Message----- > From: asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com > [mailto:asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of costas > Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 8:38 AM > To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com > Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Help with GPL license of Asterisk > > > I would appreciate some help with this. I read the GPL > license and basically it says you can do whatever you want > with the software (sell, modify) as long as you include the > source code, the License and make any changes you make > available in the same manner to all others. > > My questions is this: If I develop an external application > (say a Call Center application or a GUI management > application) that uses Asterisk data is that also GPLd? I > understand if I add code to Asterisk, but what about external > interfaces? > > Where is the seperation here of the Cathedral and the Bazaar? > > Thanks > > -- > Costas Menico > Meezon Software Corp > 201-224-8111 > costas@meezon.com > > -- > _______________________________________________ > Asterisk-Users mailing list > Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >
>If you have to link your software with a GPL library or use header files >you have used GPL files and will be required to honor the license. If >you use AGI, the stdin/stdout sufficiently isolates the parts.I would assume an interface off manager also isolates the parts as well
costas wrote:> I would appreciate some help with this. I read the GPL license and basically it says you can do whatever you want with the software (sell, modify) as long as you include the source code, the License and make any changes you make available in the same manner to all others. > > My questions is this: If I develop an external application (say a Call Center application or a GUI management application) that uses Asterisk data is that also GPLd? I understand if I add code to Asterisk, but what about external interfaces? > > Where is the seperation here of the Cathedral and the Bazaar? > > Thankshttp://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html Here are the ansfers of much questions like this
Sometimes I wonder if this GPL opens a can of worms bigger than the one it tries to solve. Example: 1) No GPL. I pay and buy a library that does something. In simple terms they let me redistribute the library combined into my code. Cost: of library and cost per copy sold. 2) With GPL. I want to commercially distribute an app that interfaces to it. Cost: I am afraid of getting sued so I hire a lawyer who at mucho bucks tells me its ok. So here is the Damoclean Sword: I go ahead with it and become succesful. I still get sued (in theory) and hire mucho attorneys for much money to defend. So, if I want to just use Asterisk without worrying, how much does it cost? I mean is there a cost per installation? Costas ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: TC <trclark@shaw.ca> Reply-To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 07:39:41 -0700>>If you have to link your software with a GPL library or use header files >>you have used GPL files and will be required to honor the license. If >>you use AGI, the stdin/stdout sufficiently isolates the parts. >I would assume an interface off manager also isolates the parts as well > >_______________________________________________ >Asterisk-Users mailing list >Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >-- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
> > > 2) if you build your application as a module that loads into a stock > > > asterisk server, you do not have to disclose your source > > This is FALSE. Even modules for Asterisk MUST be released under GPL, > > unless you obtain a license to release them outside of GPL from Digium. > > Just to be on the safe side: What if the module is not released publically but > is used in production systems internally?Still okay. GPL only relates to distribution not to use. As long as you are not distributing your changes, its requirements will not affect you. Mark
>So, if I want to just use Asterisk without worrying, how much does it cost?I mean is there a cost per installation? I have enquired about this before(August 03) the current pricing was us$250/server install.. of course that is prefaced with prices subject to change :)
--- costas <costas@meezon.com> wrote:> I would appreciate some help with this. I read the GPL license and > basically it says you can do whatever you want with the software > (sell, modify) as long as you include the source code, the License > and make any changes you make available in the same manner to all > others. > > My questions is this: If I develop an external application (say a > Call Center application or a GUI management application) that uses > Asterisk data is that also GPLd? I understand if I add code to > Asterisk, but what about external interfaces?On the www.fsf.org web site, the author of the GPL says... Please send inquiries about GNU and the FSF to Free Software Foundation Voice: +1-617-542-5942 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 Fax: +1-617-542-2652 Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA E-Mail: gnu@gnu.org This is the only way to get the "real answer". The ay Iread it is if your application is "stand alone" in that you could run it without the GPL'd Asterisk PBX then you are OK. But if your application depends so much on Asterisk that it could not be made to work with any other PBX then it must be coverd by GPL. This test is spelled out in the GPL. One way to be 100% certain is to make your application "talk" to asterisk through an interface library with the idea being that "someday" you could write another libray to support a second PBX. Only the libray need to GPL'd. Why not GPL your application? You are using both GNU/Linux and Asterisk If yu had some issue with GPL I assume you'd not want to use those so why not cover yur software with GPL?> > Where is the seperation here of the Cathedral and the Bazaar? > > Thanks > > -- > Costas Menico > Meezon Software Corp > 201-224-8111 > costas@meezon.com > > -- > _______________________________________________ > Asterisk-Users mailing list > Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users====Chris Albertson Home: 310-376-1029 chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com Cell: 310-990-7550 Office: 310-336-5189 Christopher.J.Albertson@aero.org KG6OMK __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com
I would consider GPL my code. I am just afraid that if SCO bought Digium then they would claim its their code and sue everyone. Just because I'm paranoid it doesnt mean they are not out to get me. :) Costas ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Chris Albertson <chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com> Reply-To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 09:20:20 -0700 (PDT)> >--- costas <costas@meezon.com> wrote: >> I would appreciate some help with this. I read the GPL license and >> basically it says you can do whatever you want with the software >> (sell, modify) as long as you include the source code, the License >> and make any changes you make available in the same manner to all >> others. >> >> My questions is this: If I develop an external application (say a >> Call Center application or a GUI management application) that uses >> Asterisk data is that also GPLd? I understand if I add code to >> Asterisk, but what about external interfaces? > > > >On the www.fsf.org web site, the author of the GPL says... > >Please send inquiries about GNU and the FSF to > > Free Software Foundation Voice: +1-617-542-5942 > 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 Fax: +1-617-542-2652 > Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA E-Mail: gnu@gnu.org > >This is the only way to get the "real answer". > >The ay Iread it is if your application is "stand alone" in that you >could run it without the GPL'd Asterisk PBX then you are OK. But if >your application depends so much on Asterisk that it could not be made >to work with any other PBX then it must be coverd by GPL. This test is >spelled out in the GPL. One way to be 100% certain is to make your >application "talk" to asterisk through an interface library with the >idea being that "someday" you could write another libray to support a >second PBX. Only the libray need to GPL'd. > > > > >Why not GPL your application? You are using both GNU/Linux and >Asterisk >If yu had some issue with GPL I assume you'd not want to use those so >why not cover yur software with GPL? > >> >> Where is the seperation here of the Cathedral and the Bazaar? >> >> Thanks >> >> -- >> Costas Menico >> Meezon Software Corp >> 201-224-8111 >> costas@meezon.com >> >> -- >> _______________________________________________ >> Asterisk-Users mailing list >> Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >> http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users > > >====>Chris Albertson > Home: 310-376-1029 chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com > Cell: 310-990-7550 > Office: 310-336-5189 Christopher.J.Albertson@aero.org > KG6OMK > >__________________________________ >Do you Yahoo!? >The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search >http://shopping.yahoo.com >_______________________________________________ >Asterisk-Users mailing list >Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >-- Costas Menico Meezon Software Corp 201-224-8111 costas@meezon.com --
> > > 2) if you build your application as a module that loads into a stock > > > asterisk server, you do not have to disclose your source > > > > This is FALSE. Even modules for Asterisk MUST be released under GPL, > > unless you obtain a license to release them outside of GPL from Digium. > > You mean like codec_g729b.so?Yes, precisely. Mark
Steven Critchfield
2003-Sep-30 08:27 UTC
[Asterisk-Users] Help with GPL license of Asterisk
On Tue, 2003-09-30 at 09:27, WipeOut wrote:> Alejandro Olchik wrote: > > >I understand Asterisk have contributions of many > >developers and not only from Digium. > > > >When licensing Asterisk from Digium looking other kind > >of licence than GPL, what happens with the rights of > >other members of this community? > > > >Alejandro > > > No code is commited to Asterisk unless the developer has returned a > disclaimer to Digium which basically renounces any claim to the code..This is not true. No code is committed to CVS with out Digium having the right to a non-exclusive, royalty-free and non-cancellable right to use changes and/or enhancements. This means if you contribute code, you keep your copyright for the code, but have also given Digium the right to use the code in any way they see fit. This keeps the core code unencumbered of GPL only code for Digium. The rest of us receive the code either via a GPL license or a paid for commercial license. -- Steven Critchfield <critch@basesys.com>
Steven Critchfield wrote:>On Tue, 2003-09-30 at 09:27, WipeOut wrote: > > >>Alejandro Olchik wrote: >> >> >> >>>I understand Asterisk have contributions of many >>>developers and not only from Digium. >>> >>>When licensing Asterisk from Digium looking other kind >>>of licence than GPL, what happens with the rights of >>>other members of this community? >>> >>>Alejandro >>> >>> >>> >>No code is commited to Asterisk unless the developer has returned a >>disclaimer to Digium which basically renounces any claim to the code.. >> >> > >This is not true. No code is committed to CVS with out Digium having the >right to a non-exclusive, royalty-free and non-cancellable right to use >changes and/or enhancements. This means if you contribute code, you keep >your copyright for the code, but have also given Digium the right to use >the code in any way they see fit. This keeps the core code unencumbered >of GPL only code for Digium. The rest of us receive the code either via >a GPL license or a paid for commercial license. > > >I stand corrected.. :)
I am not a coder hence this question: If a web interface (similar to vonage account management) gets produced using PHP/MYSQL to administer *, does that require licence from Digium if the code is not open source. Thanks... Senad