WordPress Theme Licensing

  • Resolved hoofedcracker

    (@hoofedcracker)


    13 years, 4 months ago

    Hi,

    Sorry if this has been already solved, but I could only find one or two posts referring to this and I did not feel as though it was fully covered!

    Is there anyway to contact WordPress Support directly for legal advice?

    Like many other developers, I am really concerned about the licensing of WordPress Themes that we create.

    So, WordPress and all of its derivatives (plugins and themes) are licensed under the GPL license…

    As CSS and graphics can be used without WordPress and do not rely solely on WordPress to be executed- this means that they are not necessarily derivatives of WordPress.

    In light of this- We can then independently license and sell our works (WP themes) as a whole. I understand that the core files (i.e. PHP functions) are under the GPL license, but with our graphics and CSS integrated- this would allow us to sell our works with our independent licensing.

    By independent licensing- I refer to a basic single site or developers license that we sell a theme under.

    Please let me know if I am correct?

    Cheers!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Andrew Nevins

    (@anevins)

    WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support

    13 years, 4 months ago

    Are you using WordPress.com?

    Thread Starter hoofedcracker

    (@hoofedcracker)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    No.

    Andrew Nevins

    (@anevins)

    WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support

    13 years, 4 months ago

    It seems you’ve a presumption that WordPress is an organisation
    http://ww.wp.xz.cn/about/

    ww.wp.xz.cn is what you see on this website; the community.

    Thread Starter hoofedcracker

    (@hoofedcracker)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    The terms of derivatives (i.e. themes) being licensed out side of gpl is very un-clear and it would be great to have some kind of clarification on this.

    can you provide any information towards my original questions?

    cheers!

    esmi

    (@esmi)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    Is there anyway to contact WordPress Support directly for legal advice?

    We aren’t lawyers, so we don’t give out legal advice. However you could refer issues relating to trademarks and licensing to the WordPress Foundation.

    Like many other developers, I am really concerned about the licensing of WordPress Themes that we create.

    In what way are you concerned?

    CSS and graphics can be used without WordPress and do not rely solely on WordPress to be executed- this means that they are not necessarily derivatives of WordPress

    At the present time, the GPL licensing extends to CSS and graphics – certainly in relation to any theme hosted on ww.wp.xz.cn. However, using the GPL license does not, in any way, restrict your ability to sell your work on the commercial market.

    Thread Starter hoofedcracker

    (@hoofedcracker)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    Thank you esmi for the direct answers!
    I truly appreciate it!

    Cheers!

    esmi

    (@esmi)

    13 years, 4 months ago

    No problem 🙂

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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