License for plugins

I'm under the impression that for GPL-like licenses you don't have to publicly post the code, just give it to whomever asks for it. In any case, its all javascript, right? Anyone can see your code if they dig through the source.

Alternatively, you could put your plugin up on sourceforge, or write an article that has all the code in it on voofie.com. I only say voofie.com because I found this there:

http://www.voofie.com/content/2/ckedito ... velopment/

btw, I'm not an open source expert or part of the CKSource group

Hi there, by following (L)GPL, it's true that you should open source the plugin codes, while you don't have to host the source on our site (while we're planning the plugin repository that comes at the end of the year to host those plugins), just choose your way of publishing the source, like this.

frattaro wrote:I'm under the impression that for GPL-like licenses you don't have to publicly post the code, just give it to whomever asks for it. In any case, its all javascript, right? Anyone can see your code if they dig through the source.

It's distinguishable between "View Source" and "Open Source" though, actually "View Source" isn't considered as forming a valid Open Source due to potentially compression and obscurement.

frattaro wrote:I'm under the impression that for GPL-like licenses you don't have to publicly post the code, just give it to whomever asks for it.

You don't _have_ to publicly post the code but you must make the source code available to anyone who requests it without charging them for the service.
Use github to do so because it's social and free.

frattaro wrote:In any case, its all javascript, right? Anyone can see your code if they dig through the source.

Not if you use closure or jsmin, etc to compile up your code. Doing so almost completely obstruficates the code to all but the most skilled javascript developers.

Thanks,
Zanpakutō

The important part is that if you are creating a new plugin from scratch and using just the documentation, then that code is yours and you can set whatever license you choose for it.
Even if you are basing it on other code, you are restricted by the license of that code nothing else (and that license might allow to change the code as long as you provide your clients with the source code, but not to everybody in the internets)

alfonsoml wrote:Even if you are basing it on other code, you are restricted by the license of that code nothing else (and that license might allow to change the code as long as you provide your clients with the source code, but not to everybody in the internets)

Yes. Under the GPL, you can create a plugin (Even if you use code found in CKEditor) for a client and you or your client do not need to release the source unless you or your client are distributing the GPL licensed code as a compiled program.
It's the distributing part. If you distribute anything which contains CKEditor code, that means you must make the source available to anyone who requests it.

This part is tricky though, if you are using the classes and name spaces found in the CKEditor API and distributing a compiled program, technically that's CKEditor code covered by one of the chosen open source licenses and must be offered in source form to anyone who requests it. So if you do use the API in a plugin which you write from scratch (Nearly impossible not to) Then you've got to provide source code to anyone who requests it, should you want to distribute your code (Like for instance as a download from your website, paid or unpaid.)
Simply using your code on a single site wouldn't constitute distribution because web pages are written to automatically download CKEditor and it's modules without user interaction. Therefore the fact that the compiled code is downloaded every time it is used, is part of the way the program works.

Thanks,
Zanpakutō

Please, remember that CKEditor is available under GPL, LGPL and MPL as well as a Closed Distribution License.

For example Firefox code is also under a mix of licenses, but if you create an extension, you can specify your own license.

And in case of doubt, consult your lawyer. You can't argue that "some random guy told me so in a web forum".