License Confusion

vvvv beta general
1

I’m confused about vvvv’s licensing terms.

The code posted on GitHub states that it is licensed under GPL and LGPL, but then adds the following explanation:

“Note that commercial use of vvvv is independent of these source-code licensing terms and is discussed on the vvvv licensing page.”

https://github.com/vvvv/vvvv-sdk/blob/develop/README.txt

My understanding was that it was not possible to release software under (L)GPL and then place further restrictions upon how it is used without changing the text of (L)GPL license itself. The entire point of (L)GPL is that you can use the software anyway you like, as long as you do not incorporate it into a closed-source product.

I know there are some projects like Qt that were released under a dual license model, GPL for open-source projects and a paid, commercial license for closed-source projects. That was permissible because they did not prevent the GPL source from being used for commercial purposes, only from being incorporated into a closed-source commercial product. However, it seems vvvv is imposing a blanket prohibition on the commercial use of the software, which does not seem possible under GPL.

Or does the vvvv SDK not include all the code for vvvv? It looks to be pretty complete to me.

Any clarification would be appreciated. I want to use this product in full compliance with its license.

2

the core of vvvv is not open-source and not in the sdk. it’s the glue that sticks everything together :)

3

So if I were to take all the sources from Git and compile them, would I have a more-or-less working version of vvvv, minus certain (probably important) features? From a cursory glance, it seems to contain all the infrastructure (the node interfaces, a hosting shell, various nodes, etc.). Some nodes are missing from the Git sources, i.e. for rendering and effects. Is that what distinguishes this from the commercial product?

4

the vvvv.exe is written in delphi and is not open source. the code on github is mostly an extension/interface to the modern world of .net and friends.

the code on github which is from the vvvv group is released under GPLv2 and LPGLv2.1. so, the vvvv.exe and all the addonpack modules/plugins are free for non commercial use.

if you use vvvv in a commercial project you have to buy a license for each computer running vvvv.exe. what you use from the addonpack is your decision…

in general GPL, LGPL and whatever are licenses which tell others how they can use the code/software, the original author can always do whatever he wants with it…