Hello,
First, I'd like to apologise if this is a repeated topic, but I was unable to find similar one with the search and first looks at the forum topics, and yet I consider this one important.
I must admit I am not exactly familiar with OS license violation scenarios and my question might be stupid, but as far as I had it explained in more than one place, I can use CKEditor in commercial websites with the open source license if I do not make any changes to the CKEditor's source code, or in other words, to use it as is and keep it intact.
Now imagine a commercial website that uses CKEditor with the open-source license. Since being an UI component, any possible changes will be tightly coupled with the commercial project requirements, and if applied, will potentially violate the license.
Still, it is possible to overcome some UI-related, and even JS issues without altering the original code, but at the same time using knowledge of the source code implementation. For instance, if the CSS does not work for my commercial site, I could use CSS overrides ("!important, exact selectors and etc.) in the site's stylesheets, so that both the CKEditor distribution remains intact and the commercial site has the UI looking as desired.
Another thing to do, by having knowledge of the source code implelmentation (JS), would be to use external to the CKEditor script file which could override the default implementation of "misbehaving" js functions in order to overcome an issue.
So we might end up having both the open source version unchanged, and the final application working with changes to the editor comming from the application. Is this a form of violation of the open license? Should commercial licensing be considered for such approaches? Is this valid for both CSS and JS overriding? Are these changes considered a derivative work of the CKEditor? The CSS overriding style could exist and work without the CKEditor. The JS can be written not to explicitly depend on CKEditor's js objects so the site could exist without CKEditor being supplied (I am trying to imply that no hard dependencies of CKEditor exist). Still, the idea bothers me a lot and I'd like it being clarified.
Thanks in advance,
Ivaylo Slavov
First, I'd like to apologise if this is a repeated topic, but I was unable to find similar one with the search and first looks at the forum topics, and yet I consider this one important.
I must admit I am not exactly familiar with OS license violation scenarios and my question might be stupid, but as far as I had it explained in more than one place, I can use CKEditor in commercial websites with the open source license if I do not make any changes to the CKEditor's source code, or in other words, to use it as is and keep it intact.
Now imagine a commercial website that uses CKEditor with the open-source license. Since being an UI component, any possible changes will be tightly coupled with the commercial project requirements, and if applied, will potentially violate the license.
Still, it is possible to overcome some UI-related, and even JS issues without altering the original code, but at the same time using knowledge of the source code implementation. For instance, if the CSS does not work for my commercial site, I could use CSS overrides ("!important, exact selectors and etc.) in the site's stylesheets, so that both the CKEditor distribution remains intact and the commercial site has the UI looking as desired.
Another thing to do, by having knowledge of the source code implelmentation (JS), would be to use external to the CKEditor script file which could override the default implementation of "misbehaving" js functions in order to overcome an issue.
So we might end up having both the open source version unchanged, and the final application working with changes to the editor comming from the application. Is this a form of violation of the open license? Should commercial licensing be considered for such approaches? Is this valid for both CSS and JS overriding? Are these changes considered a derivative work of the CKEditor? The CSS overriding style could exist and work without the CKEditor. The JS can be written not to explicitly depend on CKEditor's js objects so the site could exist without CKEditor being supplied (I am trying to imply that no hard dependencies of CKEditor exist). Still, the idea bothers me a lot and I'd like it being clarified.
Thanks in advance,
Ivaylo Slavov
Re: Using CKEditor with OpenSource license and modifications
With an Open Source license you can modify the source code and use CKEditor in a commercial product/site, even make money with it. You simply can't hide the source code or the changes you have done, and you can't remove the copyrights or delete the LICENSE.html file. You can even remove the "About CKEditor" icon in the toolbar, but it would be nice of you if you didn't.
Customer and Community Manager, CKSource
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Re: Using CKEditor with OpenSource license and modifications
In fact, I had the impression that if the commercial software has to alter the editor (the open-sourced version), then this would violate the license, or create a derivative work that should also be open-licensed. I am not going to remove any logos, attributions or licenses of the CKEditor distribution. My purpose is to be prepared to handle potential issues that could occur with the integration of the editor and to know whether this is legal to do with the open license or to get a commercial one if not.
It is still strange to me, since I have such freedom with the open license, what would be the benefit to use closed license? Perhaps if my changes to the CKEditor code include specific capabilities of my commercial application that I want to protect? Or maybe to restrict the usage of the changes I have applied to the CKEditor code even if they are not part of any commercial software I am having/creating?
Best Regards
Ivaylo Slavov
Re: Using CKEditor with OpenSource license and modifications
Customer and Community Manager, CKSource
Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
If you think you found a bug in CKEditor, read this!
Re: Using CKEditor with OpenSource license and modifications
Have a nice day and keep up the good work with CKEditor!
Best Regards,
Ivaylo Slavov