[Qgis-developer] QGIS license and commerical software

[Matthias Kuhn]

Hello Matthew,

On 02/05/2016 03:51 PM, Matthew Winchester wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> My name is Matthew Winchester and I spend most of my time developing
> software. I would like to create my own closed source software that I
> can package and sell using python. This software would be using the
> QGIS python package that I can import into a script and run to create
> layers on mapped data.
>
> I was wondering from a programmer what this QGIS license means. I have
> had several of my friends tell me that I will not be able to sell this
> software as closed source because of the license agreement to use the
> software. I have also had someone tell me that it isn't a big deal and
> I can use QGIS's library in Python to create my own code and sell it.

Since you seem to be unfamiliar with the GPL, here a very short summary
(from someone who is not a lawyer):

You can develop your own software by using the QGIS library. You can
sell this software, it does not require you to give something away for
free as in beer. However, you are required that whenever someone
receives your software he may also receive the source code for it. Hence
yes, you are required to make it open source. But this does not mean
publicly for everyone (although this is very much appreciated).

Just to make the point clear, that it is about "free as in speech", not
"free as in beer".

Best

-- 
Matthias Kuhn
OPENGIS.ch - https://www.opengis.ch
Spatial • (Q)GIS • PostGIS • Open Source


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