Difference between revisions of "Extensions GPL notices"

Revision as of 10:33, 7 August 2010

To list your file in JED under a GPL license, you must include proper notices for the license chosen. Its easy as A, B, C!

(A) XML file[edit]

A <license> tag in your extension's XML file and state it is licensed under the GPL, as in this tags for a module:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<install type="module" version="1.5.0">
	<name>Extension name goes here</name>
	<creationDate>20 April 2010</creationDate>
	<author>Author name goes here</author>
	<copyright>Copyright holder name goes here</copyright>
	<license>GNU/GPLv3 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html</license>
	<authorEmail>you@youremail.com</authorEmail>
	<authorUrl>http://www.yoursite.com</authorUrl>
	<version>1.0</version>
	<description>DESCRIPTION GOES HERE</description>

For GPL you can use other versions of the license, but GNU/GPLv3 its preferable:

GNU/GPL http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
GNU/GPL v2 or later http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
GNU/GPLv3 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html

(B) PHP files[edit]

The file headers of an extension should contain a copyright notice and a notice that the file and extension is distributed under the terms of the GPL, as in this comment block:

<?php
/**
 * @package Module XYZ for Joomla! 1.5
 * @version $Id: mod_XYZ.php 599 2010-03-20 23:26:33Z you $
 * @author YOUR NAME HERE
 * @copyright (C) 2010- YOUR NAME HERE
 * @license GNU/GPLv3 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html
**/

Note: Additional informations about the extension, author, copyright and version date are considered good practices

(C) TXT file[edit]

Provide a copy of the GPL license within your package

GNU GPL v2 text

note: this file doesn't need to be installed with the extension, just included with the package as a text file

Special cases[edit]

Tools[edit]

Tools for creating and maintaining Joomla! websites or for developing Joomla! extensions, but not meant to be installed or change core files in Joomla!, are listed under category "Tools". They can be licensed under other licenses

You must include a TXT file for license info

Independent Libraries[edit]

Libraries (as in Js scripts) single packed can be licensed under a GPL compatible license listed by the Free Software Foundation, as in LGPL:

LGPLv3 - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-3.0.html

You must include a TXT file for license info

Files packed with extensions[edit]

Libraries packed with extensions[edit]

Libraries which can stand alone (as in Js scripts) can be licensed under GPL compatible licenses as in:

LGPLv3 - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-3.0.html

You must include a TXT file for license info and a statement in the extension XML file license tag

Non code files[edit]

Non code files which can stand alone (as in Images, compiled flash files), packed with extensions, can be licensed under other licenses.

You must include a TXT file for license info and a statement in the extension XML file license tag

Additional Reading[edit]

To know more about licensing your software:

Free Software Foundation | How to use GNU licenses for your own software
Open Source Matters: Joomla! License FAQ
Open Source Matters: Licensing your extension

Before submitting an extension to JED, please read:

FAQ: Extensions_and_GPL
JED editors Checklist: JED_Entries_License_Checklist

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 ==(C) TXT file==
 Provide a copy of the GPL license within your package
-*note: this file doesn't need to be installed with the extension, just included with the package as a text file
+* GNU GPL v2 text
+note: this file doesn't need to be installed with the extension, just included with the package as a text file
 ==Special cases==
@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ===Independent Libraries===
-Libraries (as in Js scripts) single packed can be licensed under other licenses as in:
+Libraries (as in Js scripts) single packed can be licensed under a GPL compatible license listed by the Free Software Foundation, as in LGPL:
 * LGPLv3 - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-3.0.html
 You must include a TXT file for license info
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 ====Libraries packed with extensions====
-Libraries (as in Js scripts) can be licensed under other licenses as in:
+Libraries which can stand alone (as in Js scripts) can be licensed under GPL compatible licenses as in:
 * LGPLv3 - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-3.0.html
 You must include a TXT file for license info and a statement in the extension XML file license tag
 ====Non code files====
-Non code files (as in Images, compiled flash files), packed with extensions, can be licensed under other licenses.
+Non code files which can stand alone (as in Images, compiled flash files), packed with extensions, can be licensed under other licenses.
-* You must include a TXT file for license info
+* You must include a TXT file for license info and a statement in the extension XML file license tag
+==Additional Reading==
+To know more about licensing your software:
+* Free Software Foundation [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html | How to use GNU licenses for your own software]
+* Open Source Matters: [http://opensourcematters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55 Joomla! License FAQ]
+* Open Source Matters: [http://opensourcematters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70 Licensing your extension]
+Before submitting an extension to JED, please read:
+* FAQ: [[Extensions_and_GPL]]
+* JED editors Checklist: [[JED_Entries_License_Checklist]]
-see [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html | How to use GNU licenses for your own software]
 [[Category:JED]] [[Category:Licence]]