Topic: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Hey Everyone,

First off, I'm a huge supporter of open source and especially of PunBB (I'm on the donation list).  I'm also not a programmer, so when I need a modification or a plugin I either look here or at punres.  If I can't find it I usually just do without.

Then I got to thinking... maybe I could pay someone to create a modification and donate it to the benefit of the group / community.  This is fine for relatively small projects / modifications, but what about modifications that take funds that are out of one's budget?  One option is to get a few people who are looking for the same mod to "go in together" and combine funds to pay for the mod... but what if nobody wants to pony up?

Then I got to thinking a bit more... why aren't people building cool mods for PunBB and selling them?   Is it a license reason or an "all for one - one for all" reason, or both?

For example, I was recently in need of a mod that I can't find anywhere, even though it has been requested a few times (a paid membership mod).  It's something that is built into the core of vBulletin, but I want to stick with punBB.  I had one programmer give me a bid, but this bid was about 2 times the cost of a vBulletin owned license.  For one person to pay for this and donate it to the group is a bit out of scope, but what if someone payed to have it codded and "sold" copies of the code to others?   Is this prohibited / looked down on?

I'm sure there is a good reason because I've never seen any mods / plug-ins for sale.

Rob Ludlow 
www.Nifty-Stuff.com - Repository of all Stuff Nifty!
www.reviewum.com - Professor Ratings + Teacher Reviews

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

It's possible to ransom code, it's possible to get a group a share a dev's cost, it's also possible to sell code. The GPL doesn't prohibit any of these.

But I'm not sure you'll find people willing to pay for an extensive mod when 1.3 is in the work, except if one needs it right this year.

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

What Jérémie said. With one caveat: the GPL forces you to give the source code for your changes to anyone who purchases the code. And that person is allowed to redistribute the source for free.

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

If I have understood it correctly, you don't have to release the source for 'in house' things. If you create something and only you use it on your things, you don't have to distribute the source. But as soon as you distribute it, you must provide the source code to anyone. (You're allowed to charge for it, but the one acquiring it can redistribute it themselves for free if they like to)

Please correct me if I'm wrong wink

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Frank H wrote:

If I have understood it correctly, you don't have to release the source for 'in house' things. If you create something and only you use it on your things, you don't have to distribute the source. But as soon as you distribute it, you must provide the source code to anyone. (You're allowed to charge for it, but the one acquiring it can redistribute it themselves for free if they like to)

Please correct me if I'm wrong wink

Right. In this case, if/when you distribute a modification, you need to distribute the source code with it. And the person you distributed the code to can redistribute it without charging.

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Devil's Advocate:   Where is the line between a "modification" that falls under the PunBB GPL and a new application which doesn't?   For example, there is a really cool script that Koos built for image hosting.   It isn't a mod or a plugin and it runs separate from punbb, but (from what I understand) uses the punbb user authentication / cookie to allow members only to upload images.  Does his separate application fall under the GPL for Punbb?

Rob Ludlow 
www.Nifty-Stuff.com - Repository of all Stuff Nifty!
www.reviewum.com - Professor Ratings + Teacher Reviews

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

What, this?
http://www.punres.org/viewtopic.php?id=3245
If I'm right, then yes, I believe so: if you integrate a GPL'ed library (in this case, PunBB) then your code must be released under the GPL. Now, if it were actually built as a standalone application (so it has its own authentication system), then it can be released under any license.

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Thanks Smartys, good to know.   

In general I'm hoping that we can find ways to encourage developers to create more mods for this great application.   I vaguely remember seeing some posts about a contest with financial compensation for those who develop new extentions for 1.3.   That's when I donated some funds to punbb in my attempt to support that great idea.

So, I guess the only way to move forward on a mod project is to either pay for it oneself and donate it to the community or find a few people willing to pull resources to pay someone to build the mod.

Rob Ludlow 
www.Nifty-Stuff.com - Repository of all Stuff Nifty!
www.reviewum.com - Professor Ratings + Teacher Reviews

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

i think when 1.3 finally does surface we will see a flood of mods come out. much more than we have now... in my opinion of course. wink

~James
FluxBB - Less is more

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Right now, I'm guessing a lot of people are waiting for 1.3 to come out, at least in a beta stage. It's the calm before the storm smile

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Indeed tongue

Re: Paying for Mods - Selling Modifications

Quiet before the storm huh?  Well I hope the weather forcasters are correct and that the storm isn't too far away... it's been predicted for about 2 years, right?  tongue

Rob Ludlow 
www.Nifty-Stuff.com - Repository of all Stuff Nifty!
www.reviewum.com - Professor Ratings + Teacher Reviews