License issue

josk

If I am doing portal site using closed source product like Oracle Weblogic Portal and our portlets are also closed source jsp-code. Can I use gpl v2 licensed datatables javascript code to display the data that jsp portlet prints out? I know there is also BSD-3 point license available but I want to know what is situation using GPL v2 license.

josk

BUMP! Sorry! I like to have answer for this license question. I tried to interpret GPLv2 license text but it left me uncertain.

allan

Hi josk,

I'm not a lawyer and don't understand the ins about outs of the GPL license, however my understanding is that any code that is integrated with GPL code must also be released. The LGPL tries to help the case there in that you can link to libraries without needing to release any code - it might be an idea to add an LGPL option in future.

However, DataTables is dual licensed under GPL v2 and a BSD style license (exactly like jQuery). The code for the two licenses isn't any different, its the same package, and BSD is much less restrictive. Is there a problem with using DataTables with the BSD license?

Allan

josk

BSD license is ok. I just want to understand what is situation if example datatables wouldn't be BSD licensed just GPLv2. jQuery and javascript is a client side code and many times data is coming from server part in the form as PHP, JSP... scripts. The question is, do we need to release that part as well under GPL license. When using AJAX, the client code is interacting with the server. However you can compare it to any other client/server application. This may be interpreted as 2 applications between which data is transferred, therefor both may have different license. Am I right?

allan

Hi josk,

Again I'm not a lawyer so I can't offer any legal advice! I'd suggest that if you do want to get involved with the GPL to that level, having a consolation with a lawyer who knows his/her way around the GPL might be the way to go.

Having said that, my understanding is that any code which is "compiled" (or linked) together must also be GPL. So the PHP, JSP etc are all "safe" since they will use a remote comms system with the javascript (HTTP typically, with a bit of XML or JSON or whatever). However, any other Javascript (for example the DataTables initialisation) would need to be also available (upon request) as GPL.

So yes, your PHP etc can be closed source, while your Javascript can be open source.

Regards,
Allan

yaqadesh

How feasible is it to make the extras' licensing consistent with the plugin licensing?

DataTables version 1.7.6 is released with dual licensing, using the GPL v2 (license-gpl2.txt) and an BSD style license (license-bsd.txt); however, the plugin extras
- AutoFill.js Version: 1.1.1 has License: GPL v2 or BSD 3 point
- ColReorder.js Version: 1.0.1 has License: LGPL
- ColVis.js Version: 1.0.4 has License: LGPL
- FixedColumns.js Version: 1.1.0 has License: GPL v2 or BSD 3 point style
- FixedHeader.js Version: 2.0.4 has License: LGPL
- KeyTable.js Version: 1.1.6 has License: LGPL
- TableTools.js Version: 2.0.1 has License: LGPL / 3 point BSD
How feasible is it to make them more consistent so that all have either triple licensing LGPL, GPL v2 and 3 point BSD (to just extend) or GPL v2 and 3 point BSD (to be consistent with the plugin)? Thanks Allan!

allan

Hi yaqadesh,

Thanks for pointing that out! Yup that's a mistake, they should all be available as GPL v2 or 3 point BSD. The next release of each of the plug-ins will bring them into line with the licensing of DataTables core. If you need a special build of any of the plug-ins with the correct licensing so you can use them - let me know.

Regards,
Allan

yaqadesh

Hi Allan,

It would make it a lot easier to be able to use them if you do a special build of the extras to make the whole plugin (along with extras) all available as GPL v2 or 3 point BSD... I guess that would be ColReorder.js, ColVis.js, FixedHeader.js, and KeyTable.js right?

Thanks,
yaqadesh

yaqadesh

(Ooops! Looks like I forgot to include TableTools as well...)

allan

Yup - give me a day or two and I'll build them up.

Can I ask what it is about the LGPL license which wouldn't work for you? Are you planning on making modifications that aren't suitable for committing back?

Allan

yaqadesh

Regarding the special build, thanks a lot!

The issue is that there is legal ambiguity on how LGPL applies to JavaScript. I am not planning on making modifications not suitable for committing back - it is more a concern about how LGPL might contaminate any projects including LGPL-licensed JavaScript.

yaqadesh

allan

I've just updated all main code files to say that they are licensed under the GPLv2 and BSD licenses, with links to the license files. You can get these differently licensed files from http://datatables.net/download - grab the 'nightly' version for each of the plug-ins. Technically I should probably bump the version of the plug-ins which haven't changed since their release, but I'll save that for another day as it will probably just serve to confuse... The licenses are now correct on the nightly versions, and my written consent here that DataTables and it's various extras that I've published are under the GPLv3 and 3 point BSD licenses, as found here:

http://datatables.net/license_gpl2
http://datatables.net/license_bsd

Good point about LGPL and Javascript! I guess LGPL is mainly aimed at compiled programs linking into to other libraries. I had been thinking that just doing a would basically be the same idea, but of course with Javascript everything can be overwritten, so it could indeed be a bit of a grey area!

Regards,
Allan

yaqadesh

I've downloaded the nightly versions with the consistent licenses of the files, thanks A LOT Allan! =)

allan

No problem at all - thanks for flagging this up. Future releases will be under these licenses as well :-)

Allan