Paying to download GPL themes

[Brad]

I have read through this thread and countless other discussions on the GPL involving comments from Matt, Brian Gardner, Cory Miller, Nathan Rice, Adii, Ian Stewart, Justin Tadlock, Michael Torbert, Jeffr0 and many others.

I have come to the following conclusions about ETHICS regarding the GPL:

1. While possibly legal within the GPL, most premium theme and plugin developers believe that simply copying and releasing a theme or plugin identical or nearly identical to their original work for free or for profit WOULD BE CONSIDERED UNETHICAL.

2. Re-using sections of code or CSS from premium GPL themes or plugins in order to produce a new theme or plugin WOULD BE CONSIDERED ETHICAL by these developers provided the finished work is not merely a exact replica of the original authors work.

I am particularly interested if premium theme or plugin developers agree with the second statement. I think it would greatly clear up their stance on the whole GPL issue.

[Jeffro]

2. Re-using sections of code or CSS from premium GPL themes or plugins in order to produce a new theme or plugin WOULD BE CONSIDERED ETHICAL by these developers provided the finished work is not merely a exact replica of the original authors work.

I am particularly interested if premium theme or plugin developers agree with the second statement. I think it would greatly clear up their stance on the whole GPL issue.

I have heard in person from some of the GPL commercial theme developers that they have no problem in people doing as you describe. It's those people that don't modify anything and are simply exercising their right to redistribute the code for free which peeves them off, as it should. I see it as an equivalent to sticking it to the man because you can while flicking them off from a distance.

Redistributing unmodified code as Ian stated earlier is stupid and ruins what open source/GPL is all about. Why even bother if you're going to do something like that unless you have nefarious purposes?

[Brad]

@Jeff

I also have seen some of them talk about it. Since many of them have already participated in this thread, I thought it would be good if they could address that specific issue in a definitive way within this thread and clear the air.

[nathanrice]

Nearly every technique I've used to develop premium themes has either been:

1. Used in a FREE theme I've released or
2. Been the subject of a blog post at http://www.nathanrice.net/

So yes, take our themes, rip them apart, learn from them, make them better. We don't care. That's one of the BIG reasons we adopted the GPL. But if you just buy them and redistribute them, you've added no value, you've learned nothing, you've taught nothing, you've hurt someone's business, and you'll probably not gain anything from it. In fact, a move like that could potentially hurt your reputation. You'd certainly lose my respect.

[Jeffro]

I have a question that I think is a bit more controversial.

If I purchase a GPL commercial theme, how much would I need to modify it to satisfy the original author that I'm using the GPL for the common good? Would it be a header change? A change in one line of code? Can a line be drawn that defines what I would need to do to satisfy the redistribution?

[nathanrice]

Jeff,
My preference would be that you take my work and learn from it, and then develop something new, using what you learned.

There is no line in the sand, at least not that I could define. My advice: don't be an idiot.

[adii]

LOL guys. Seriously?

All of us are actually agreeing (at least to like 95% of everything), yet we get all riled up about this stuff. We're the good guys, yet we fight with each other. Not fight in a "I hate you" way, but fight in time-wasting way.

Can't we just all build something really cool?

[Brad]

@Jeff

I think that question falls under my first statement about Ethics which I should change to say "identical or nearly identical to their original work"

Personally, I think it would be frowned upon by the WP community unless you created new graphics and made "significant" changes in your final product. I know we could all debate what significant means but if you released a product that looked identical or nearly identical to the original, you would invite harsh criticism even if the underlying code was slightly different, i.e., slight mod to header, change one line of code, etc.

[dancole]

If I purchase a GPL commercial theme, how much would I need to modify it to satisfy the original author that I'm using the GPL for the common good? Would it be a header change? A change in one line of code? Can a line be drawn that defines what I would need to do to satisfy the redistribution?

While some theme developers might get moody when good people with good intentions are doing what they legally can do under the GPL. Most theme developers are worried about customers getting ripped off / scammed / victimized, then having the blame being put back on them or their theme's good name. Their a little less worried about being under cut, because they charge what they charge in order to provide quality service that they do and anything less would affect the bottom line.

As for the real answer to your question. I think you should have a gut feeling as to when it is acceptable. If I was to fork a theme, I would have a reason why, e.g. theme is lacking in multiple areas that I could improve. Forking a project to under cut someone, or damage the community, or just because you could... are bad reason and your going to be looked down on. So, it's not all about the difference in design, but more about the reason behind the action.

[greenshady]

My preference would be that you take my work and learn from it, and then develop something new, using what you learned.

This is the true beauty of the GPL.