Question about the license

[Daniel15]

I'm writing a PHP script, and I was wondering if I could use the SMF BBCode editor Javascript in my script. As far as I know, the SMF license doesn't say anything about use of individual pieces of SMF, like the BBCode editor.

Would I be able to "borrow" the code if I put "BBCode Editor (c) 2003-2006 Simple Machines" or something similar in the readme/actual script?

Thanks in advance,
--daniel15

[B Patterson]

I can't speak for SMF, but since their software package is OpenSource you can modify and edit it as you please.  I'd be guessing as long as you gave them credit, they'd be okay with it.  Of course, it'd have to be visible credit (like under the bbcode editor or something).

[Dannii]

You could use it yourself, there's no way we could stop you. But you are not allowed to redistribute any of it.

[Daniel15]

I was planning to use it in one of my open-source scripts... Would that be OK?

[Dannii]

Not if you're going to release it.

[Daniel15]

Ok...

Can my code be based on SMF's, ie. I get ideas on how to write mine based on how the SMF one works?

[B Patterson]

Yes...

[Dannii]

Yes you can do that.

[MkC]

smf one is derivé of Yabb under GNU

2.  You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1 above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:

    a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.

    b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License.

    c) If the modified program normally reads commands interactively when run, you must cause it, when started running for such interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a notice that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you provide a warranty) and that users may redistribute the program under these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this License. (Exception: if the Program itself is interactive but does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on the Program is not required to print an announcement.)

These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it.

Thus, it is not the intent of this section to claim rights or contest your rights to work written entirely by you; rather, the intent is to exercise the right to control the distribution of derivative or collective works based on the Program.

In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under the scope of this License.

[mediman]

smf one is derivé of Yabb under GNU

Simple response: no

Either YaBB SE nor SMF is a derivé of YaBB!

[MkC]

Starting from an idea of a port of the Zef Hemel's popular YaBB Perl software to growing to a team of close to a dozen people, hundreds of community released mods, and a great community.  While today we are officially putting the YaBB SE project to bed, we promise that the ideas and premise behind the project will not die.

The team that has brought you YaBB SE has moved on to develop the next evolution in forum software, SMF.  We have rebranded ourselves under the name Simple Machines and continue to strive to release the best free forum software out there and are ready to compete with products of the commercial caliber.  To learn more about SMF please visit the Simple Machines website.

sisi http://www.yabbse.org/yse_history.html
Tested well, it is for that that there is a reference to the creator of yabb in the files smf

[MkC]

yabbse one is derivé of yabb, and yabbse is famous smf

[MkC]

Ah I had not seen the code of yabbse, it is illegal and contrary with license GNU, and in more as smf takes it again it is still worse. It is not well to violate the licenses GNU, it is reprehensible.

************************************************************
Ah j'avais pas vu le code de yabbse, il est illégal et contraire à la license GNU, et en plus comme smf le reprend c'est encore pire.
C'est pas bien de violer les licenses GNU, c'est répréhensible.

[conscrit64]

Bouh les vilains 

[mediman]

Starting from an idea of a port of the Zef Hemel's popular YaBB Perl software to growing to a team of close to a dozen people, hundreds of community released mods, and a great community.  While today we are officially putting the YaBB SE project to bed, we promise that the ideas and premise behind the project will not die.

The team that has brought you YaBB SE has moved on to develop the next evolution in forum software, SMF.  We have rebranded ourselves under the name Simple Machines and continue to strive to release the best free forum software out there and are ready to compete with products of the commercial caliber.  To learn more about SMF please visit the Simple Machines website.

sisi http://www.yabbse.org/yse_history.html
Tested well, it is for that that there is a reference to the creator of yabb in the files smf

Yes, we have  Zef in our Files, but not coz any licence terms ...

Open-Source Project Inspired by Zef Hemel ([email protected])

YaBB SE was over 60% SQL-Code, which of course not exists in YaBB and many parts are new written.
DBOptimizer and DBDump are i.e. copyrighted by me.
Please read the licence.txt in your package!

mediman

[Ben_S]

Ah I had not seen the code of yabbse, it is illegal and contrary with license GNU, and in more as smf takes it again it is still worse. It is not well to violate the licenses GNU, it is reprehensible.

Why not have a closer look at the code of YaBB SE. As you will probably notice, YaBB is written in perl and YaBB SE in PHP. Therefore none of the code is the same, and therefore there is no violation.

Even if there were a violation (which there isn't) it would be upto the YaBB team (xnull) to deal with, which they haven't (because there isn't any violation).

YaBB SE was originally GPL (upto v 1.5 I beleive - download and check if it bothers you that much - it is available at sourceforge). A license holder can change the license if he/she wants to and it was changed at around YSE 1.5.1 (going from memory - could be different).

If you want to use a GPL package, use a GPL YSE. Oh and FWIW, I doubt you would find a line in SMF that is identical to one in YSE, well apart from the open source project inspired by Zef.

If you have any futhur questions, feel free to contact a project manager - contact details are on the site.