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Php Mysql Apache & Licensing


Guest cal-tec

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Guest cal-tec

Hi,

 

Does any one know where you stand in proprietory licensing a script or system (eg a stock management system) written in php with a mysql db driving it?

I am talking both for online applications and in house systems (intranet based).

Mysql seem to have the oppinion that if you are unsure spend hundreds of pounds on a license to be safe. This is ok and totally understandable but it would appear to me that you dont actually have to. Mysql made the FOSS (or FLOSS) exception to their GPL license in order for php to continue being able to use the connectors, this would imply that they are admitting that php its self makes the connection to mysql and not the php script being executed. Does that then mean that you can write a system in php and supply it to your customers under a proprietory license of your choice & use the community edition of mysql as the db server?

As i said by making the FOSS/FLOSS exception to the GPL (origionally for PHP) mysql is admitting that the php executable is the code linking to the mysql db and not the php script. The php script is mearly asking php to do something it is programmed to do & is allowed to do under the FLOSS/FOSS exception to the mysql GPL license.

There seems to be an awfull lot of rubbish floating around on this subject and I would like a sensible discussion as to the realisitic position, I am looking to seek legal advice on this matter but even then it depends on how lawyers interpret the GPL.

There is alot of information on distributing GPL software with proprietory software being prohibited by the GPL, but what if you only distribute the php scripts and the LAMP or WAMP installation is done by the customer or during installation by yourselves from the web?

Technically I suppose you could sell/give copies of the GPL version of mysql to clients (as allowed by the gpl) and then seperately supply your php system under its proprietory licence?

 

Any ideas anyone? I think the FOSS/FLOSS exception is the key here as mysql are admitting it is php that is connecting not the script or have i got it totally wrong and was it to do with bundling GPL connectors with software that is not GPL (ie PHP)?

 

 

Cheers

 

Calum

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