[development] Modules that integrate non-GPL PHP apps violate the GPL.

[Thomas Barregren]

Bryan Ruby skrev:
> The issue though comes down to whether Drupal.org has a vested 
> interest in protecting its license and ultimately the community's own 
> software.  In many countries, the history of how an organization 
> protects its copyright, trademarks, licenses, and other intellectual 
> property is significant in determining who has ultimate ownership.  If 
> Drupal.org allows itself to distribute modules that are known to 
> contain code that is not compatible (subject to debate I know) with 
> the GPL license then in practice Drupal.org is not enforcing it's own 
> license.  Down the road a company could redistribute modified version 
> of Drupal claiming and claim they are under no obligation to "give 
> back" to the community due to Drupal.org's own historical lack of 
> enforcing the GPL.  At least that's how I interpret in a non-lawyer 
> way the main concern if Drupal.org continues the way it goes it how it 
> handles contributed modules.

Violating the very same license we require other to conform to 
definitely diminishes our own cause. But I cannot see how that can be 
used to justify, morally or legally, further violation. That would be to 
say: "Since you stole that bike, it is okay for me to steel it from 
you." Don't you agree?


Best regards,
Thomas