Possibility to copy protect the custom folder

[shalmaxb]

Hello,
I made an application, that I would like to offer to other people. It would be a free application with customized entities. Though the whole application would be free, I don`t want the users to have access to the customizations in the customs folders.
Is there any possibility to copy protect these folders, so that nobody could download them from FTP and use in an own application?

[Kyle]

Hi Shalmaxb,

As per the GNU Public Licence that ESPO is licenced under, you must disclose your source code if you distribute your changes.
https://tldrlegal.com/license/gnu-ge...ense-v3-(gpl-3)

https://github.com/espocrm/espocrm/blob/master/LICENSE.txt

If you do not distribute your changes then you do not have to distribute your source code. Distribute has a specific meaning in this licence and you should read up about it.

Not all code you write would be required to be release either but anything that inherits from espo code would need to be released. There are a lot of different ins and outs of these restrictions and doing a full read of the licence so you understand your rights and obligations is recommended.

[shalmaxb]

Hi,
thank you Kyle . I have read the license conditions on the espoCRM website (https://www.espocrm.com/espocrm-open-source-license/) but I admit, it is not completely clear, in which way parts, that I developed with hard work, could be protected. To not misunderstand me: I do not want to hide anything or make money of the app itself. I only want to prevent, that in case I hand out the complete customization, that anybody would use this and distribute it as his development.
One further interesting question is, where source code begins and what is not source code. Is formula source code? Is Layout source code? Is all over concept source code?

I understand, that I will have to disclose all customization, but do I not have any copyright on changes that I have made? It would be great, if there could be made some statements, what I would be permitted to protect.

How do others distribute their apps (if so at all)?

I appreciate opinions.

[shalmaxb]

Kyle ,

Not all code you write would be required to be release either but anything that inherits from espo code would need to be released.

Could you give an example, please?

[Kyle]

Hi,

I think this page is very helpful: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq...eGPLToolsForNF

[shalmaxb]

I read that entire page. It still lets open some questions. As you said in the quote, I posted, I would like to know, where and what kind of customizatiom I would not ave to release. If nothing of that kind would be possible, I will have to overthink my distribution possibilities, because I respect the GPL of espoCRM.

The GPLv3 is viral, what means, that anything on top of a GPL software will be "infected" by the main software.
How are 3rd party extensions treated? When I buy such an extension, I can distribute it? I doubt that. And so there have to be some points, where another one`s work will be posiible to be protected. About that the GPL does not state anything clear.

To repeat: I don`t want to get credits or money based on anyone other`s work or property, but I want to prevent to find my ideas in any place, where I do not have any possibility to know, what is done with it.
Because of that, I ask again: Does my concept mean to be GPL automatically, does my design have to be GPL? What about formulas? Is that code in the terms of GPL?
And, by the way, the normal target user of my app will probably not be able to make use of any code or formula, their field is completely different than IT.

[espcrm]

I haven't really look into it but this but here what I found from various reading over the year, bear in mind it is not in depth and just base reading message by other user and news debacle on the subject. The issue is only relevant if you copy/paste (or make use of the GNU license code in some way; e.g. copy/paste it but change it slightly) any of the coding under this license then it must be disclose and readable.

But if you written extensions (custom) using your own code (or code not licensed; e.g. from Forum post with isn't licensed or copyright) then you don't need to disclose the extensions source code.

(Just a guess here) I believe certain code does not fall under the licensed either, basic coding like "hello = world" or making use of a library code from SQL/database, "upperCase fieldname". This would mean that if you make use of certain function such as Formula or API then it not an infringement.

So end of the day it is about "how did you get these code"?

I believe the License is more relevant to any Pull Request you do here: https://github.com/espocrm/espocrm/
This would mean you can't one day go to EspoCRM and demand anything from that code you submit.

I think the EFF handle these kind of concern? https://www.eff.org/

[shalmaxb]

I read the GPLv3 thoroughly, reading also all of the FAQ. Passed two day reading lots of forums, interpretations and alike.

Deciding to publish a software according to GPLv3 means to reveal all code. This is, what espoCRM has done. This makes possible for us to make use of the whole program, what I think is a great benefit for all of us, including the developers, because they generate a really huge test-community, getting ideas and also hints, when something is wrong. I agree completely with that. It is kind of give and take.
GPLv3 means also, that anything, that will be developed on top of the main software will be "infected", means, will be GPLv3 also. I did not find any explanation, how third party extensions, like in the case of espoCRM, are treated. There is no exception of the obligation to publish any piece based on espoCRM with GPLv3 also. Here comes the point. As there are a lot of extensions, free and paid, I did not find in any of these license declarations. Why? And what is the license for these extensions? Some of those are paid and I cannot imagine, that, once I have bought one, I am allowed to distribute further. Or am I?
There is now answer, nor in GPLv3 nor on espoCRM or in this forum. Seems, that anybody involved, is not willing to explain, avoiding to give legal advice. The discussion seems not to be wnted. On the GNU website, any of questions of this type end in "ask a lawyer". Ok, free software, that ends in costly lawyer consultation? Why GNU refuses to clear, what is really possible and what not. They behave in the end like any big player in the software market, considering themselves between Robin Hood an powerful.

As I stated before, it is not about me wanting create revenue of sombody`s intelectual property, less from espoCRM, that I consider a really great product. I also do not have any problem, when other people here in the espoCRM community taking advantage of what I have achieved and learned. I am without doubt totally willing to share, what I know. But I do not want, that anybody, who finds my end-product, to take advantage from it, only because I have to reveal all my hard work from over one year of creating.

In my opinion there are better open source licenses than GPLv3, for instance MIT.

I would really appreciate, if somebody from espoCRM team could answer my question, where "code" begins and what I could keep closed, when developing something with espoCRM (formula, design, concept).