WordPress Themes are GPL?

Take a look at this link and share your opinion… http://wordpress.org/development/2009/07/themes-are-gpl-too/

Take a look at this link and share your opinion… http://wordpress.org/development/2009/07/themes-are-gpl-too/

Read the first paragraph “PHP in WordPress themes must be GPL , artwork and CSS may be but are not required.“

Technically, yes. However ThemeForest & authors here don’t abide by the rules.

Actually – we’re currently working on a change that will allow us to abide by the GPL license. Look for more information on the blog within 24 hours.

Actually – we’re currently working on a change that will allow us to abide by the GPL license. Look for more information on the blog within 24 hours.

I’m hoping this doesn’t affect us to much. I’m guessing all you guys need to do is update some of the legal information?

As iPad stated any PHP that uses any of the WP backbone must be GPL any HTML , CSS or graphics are not affected by the license.

iPad is correct. It’s a sticky situation that we’re resolving in mid August. Don’t worry – we’ve taken measure to protect our authors as best as possible.

In which case, I imagine the ThemeForest license will be updated for WordPress themes to state that the PHP files included in the theme are GPL -licensed, however the CSS & images remain one-use-per-license?

Basically that would mean a buyer of my theme could redistribute the .PHP files (which includes the HTML inside them), however it would be a breach of contract if the images & CSS file were distributed along with it.

If that’s the case (or something similar), this won’t affect us authors at all The HTML & PHP is almost useless without the styling anyway, and it’s nice to know we’re following the wishes of the WordPress team.

HTML is still safe, so they can’t license that under the GPL , only PHP code (unless of course your PHP renders html).

Personally I don’t think it’s such a bad move. It won’t affect authors in regards to their work being redistributed – as most of this is front end work which will be licensed differently. Of course your code could be freely used now, but I don’t see this affecting anyone in a bad way. It just means that there will be better features available to users across the board. PHP itself is an open source language, and combined with the open source nature of WordPress it should bring about some good things in the future.

At worst it will force us to be at the top of our game in development – which we should be focussed on anyway.

I wouldn’t mind GPL licensing of PHP -files. The essence of a theme is in the CSS and the images.

...It won’t affect authors in regards to their work being redistributed – as most of this is front end work which will be licensed differently. Of course your code could be freely used now, but I don’t see this affecting anyone in a bad way…

I think it will create problem because most people are ignorant about what the GPL is and means – developers and end users.

I think there is a real danger that end users and even clueless developers will rip off themes and then say “Its GPL , I can do what I like with it, i paid for it” as an excuse – because they really dont know any different.