Quote:The Boy wrote on Sep 9
th, 2010 at 8:37pm:
but hearing of licencing restrictions creeping in, such as the script rename restriction, does set the alarm bells ringing.
mmmm This has "always" been the policy. Read the terms agreed to on the download page for a YaBB Installation zip.
Quote:License Information YaBB is completely free to use. All we ask is that you keep the copyright in tact and visible on the bottom of your forum. This is to ensure that the project and all of the developers are given credit for their hard work. YaBB is distributed under the YPL (YaBB Public License), which is a slightly modified form of the GPL. You can read this license in the Quick Guide distributed with YaBB. If you would like to remove the copyright, redistribute YaBB, or use it in any other non-standard fashion, please consult the Licenses page
This has NOT changed in the 10yrs. of YaBB. The ONLY
addition to this has been the opportunity to use default.pl, index.pl or other, instead of YaBB.pl to call the forum from an url.
This is a New option and still requires the display of the copyright and internal script credits.
I was talking about the new licencing restrictions on URL name. I was NOT talking about the copyright notice, that I believe should be there.
Its a new licencing restriction, whose only function is to raise money. Its not about creditting the developers with their work. Whether or not a single individual should (or has the right) to make some money (or recoup some costs) on a larger open source project is another, unrelated debate.
The alarm bells are ringing, because I've been here before. The next step, in order to recoup costs/make money is the licence only allows 10 Boards on a forum, or it can only be for not-for-profit sites. Then the next stage is its entirely commercial.
As said earlier, the restrictions do not affect me - the URL is easily got around at a server level should I wish to (be a grey area on licence, as the script is still called YaBB.pl), not that I have any plans not to use YaBB.pl. And I don't mind the YaBB (c) notice - in fact I am delighted and proud to be able to display it at the bottom of my site.