bbPress.org

I was hoping that someone could point me towards BBpress or Automattic’s official stance on this. From what I’ve read, the PHP code that interacts with WordPress/BBpress should all be released under the GPL, but HTML/CSS/JavaScript/Images are not.

I bring this up, because a fellow developer (an old Bbprogress contributor), pointed me towards this piece by Jeff Chandler: http://weblogtoolscollection.com/archives/2010/02/08/where-is-the-line-drawn/

The main thing that caught my attention was the comment of Chip Bennet , who states that:

[a] plugin uses a separate library – and it is that library (presumably not released under GPL) that requires purchase if it is used on a commercial site.

This practice is perfectly acceptable under the GPL. Whether or not it is acceptable under the double-secret probation, unwritten, subjective rules of the plugin repository is anyone’s guess.

Can anyone shine some light on this from a BBpress perspective?

I’m going to quote Matt here:

…that themes link and use lots of internal WordPress functions, which make them linked under the GPL and subject to being a GPL-compatible license.

If a theme (or a plugin) used no internal WP functions or APIs, then it could probably be considered independent, but that would be really really hard for a theme.

Basically, I’m asking because BBpress, probably more than WP (at least if you’re only using WP as blog platform) has potentail for premium theme’s and plugins at this moment in time. Getting some clarification would make things alot simpler.

My real concern here is one that won’t go down well…

BBpress forums have 1 current/active moderator

I ask for two reasons.

Should a premium theme/plugin be created and sold, and given that BBpress currently has 1 active Moderator, what is there to stop someone posting the code here or reusing the code that is NOT under GPL?

Not a huge concern of mine just now, but it seems like a likely question of anyone supporting premium BBpress additions.