Re: [PHP] PHP Encoders and GPL License

[Zeev Suraski]

At 02:45 18/01/2003, [-^-!-%- wrote:

Food for thought:

As I look through the Zend website, and applaud their efforts to create
'protected' php applications, I can't help but wonder about the impact
(or lagality) or their efforts.  Doesn't the use of the Zend Encoder (or
any other PHP Encoders out there) violate the GPL License or the whole Open
Source Concept?

As far as I understand it, the GPL License states that the source code
of any product created from an open source solutions, or is derived from
the work of an open solutions, must be made availabe to all users.

Since PHP itself is open source, then wouldn't that prohibit a developer
from encoding any PHP product?

Please correct me, if I'm wrong. I'm just curious.

You're wrong for two reasons:
[1] As other people mentioned here, PHP (or in that case, the Zend Engine, PHP's core) is not under the GPL license. Since it is under a BSD style license, people are free to use it for commercial ventures in any and all levels.
[2] Even if the Zend Engine was under the GPL, the authors of the software always have the right to use their software in whatever way they see fit, and relicense it under any other licenses. In this case, the author of the Zend Engine is the same as one that publishes the Zend Encoder, so there's really no problem at all.

Zeev


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