GPL - possible violation - what should I do?

Jan Wildeboer jan.wildeboer at gmx.de
Mon Mar 18 12:16:24 UTC 2002


> I believe this to be the case, but I'm unable to find any documentation on
> how plug-ins integrate with your software.  (I am asked to give you my
> details before being allowed to read the FAQ!) Are they really linked in,
or
> could they be counted as separate programs?

The way we use modules is by using include() statements that include the
modules in the calling page thus forming a single source page that the PHP
interpreter interpretes.

Modules work with objects generated by the main application, they use
functions from various project-wide include files. They use database query
wrapper functions etc.

> Also, you ought to follow the instructions of how to apply the GPL to your
> software more closely.  Most of your files seem not to have any copyright
> information, for example.  Are they covered by the GPL or another "Open
> Source" licence?

I don't know which files you are looking at, I am talking about the
development versions that uses this in (almost) all source files:

/*
  $Id: banner.php,v 1.9 2001/12/14 12:55:49 hpdl Exp $

  osCommerce, Open Source E-Commerce Solutions
  http://www.oscommerce.com

  Copyright (c) 2001 osCommerce

  Released under the GNU General Public License
*/

Is that sufficient?

The third party thinks that their modules (which I believe are based on our
sample modules, but they won't show us the sources) can be published under
any license they like. They even used our mailing lists to advertise their
modules.

Jan Wildeboer




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