go around a bridge

[locutusweb]

Hi all,

First of all, I don't want to bring up the Joomla-SMF legal bridge problems... I am just brainstorming. What if I want to use SMF, where non-registered can view the boards and only write topics/reply's after registration/logging in. I'll adapt my SMF theme so it's similar to my joomla theme. And I make a joomla module with a login for smf through SSI. I know this way users are only logged into SMF, but if I don't use the registered stuff of joomla, there won't be a (legal) problem, right?

Is this a good idea? (tips for SSI in joomla modules?)

TIA

[Orstio]

SSI is also released under the SMF license.  You can create this type of thing for your own site, but you can't distribute those modules to others without violating the Joomla interpretation of the GPL.

[locutusweb]

I did a refresh on the GPL issue and I came up with this in the SMF blog reffering to the FSF website:

If a program released under the GPL uses plug-ins, what are the requirements for the licenses of a plug-in.
    It depends on how the program invokes its plug-ins. If the program uses fork and exec to invoke plug-ins, then the plug-ins are separate programs, so the license for the main program makes no requirements for them.

    If the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function calls to each other and share data structures, we believe they form a single program, which must be treated as an extension of both the main program and the plug-ins. This means the plug-ins must be released under the GPL or a GPL-compatible free software license, and that the terms of the GPL must be followed when those plug-ins are distributed.

    If the program dynamically links plug-ins, but the communication between them is limited to invoking the `main' function of the plug-in with some options and waiting for it to return, that is a borderline case.

So creating a Joomla module with a login to SMF by SSI, is more or less a http link from Joomla to SMF. Both could be installed in separeted databases and can work on their own without any problem. So the first part of the quote is in this way case. Or am I totally wrong?

[Orstio]

Doing this:

Code Select Expand

include($smf_directory."/SSI.php");

Is dynamically linking. 

[locutusweb]

  Orstio, Thanks for your help in this.