WordPress and the GPL

Slides from WordCamp Miami 2013

Transcript

1. GPL
   @SiobhanPMcKeown
   #wcmia
   

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2. GPL
   GNU General Public License
   

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3. GPL
   Free Software License
   

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4. GPL
   Free as in freedom, not as in beer
   

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5. In the beginning...
   

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7. “Computer users should be free to modify
   programs to fit their needs, and free to share
   software, because helping each other is the basis
   of society.”
   

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8. GPL
   GNU General Public License
   

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9. Freedom
   

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10. Freedom
    User
    

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11. Freedoms
    4
    

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12. Freedom 0
    to run the program, for any purpose
    

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13. Freedom 1
    study how the program works, and modify it
    

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14. Freedom 2
    redistribute copies
    

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15. Freedom 3
    distribute modified versions
    

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16. Copyright
    

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17. Copyleft
    

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20. Developer Protection
    

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24. b2
    blogging software
    

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25. b2
    © Michel Valdrighi
    

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26. b2
    01.08.01
    “For the moment I don't really care if
    you use parts of my code or not, as
    long as you give me credits for it. [...] b2
    isn't released under the GPL yet.”
    

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27. b2
    06.10.01
    “he's using MY design + MY news script
    and not even linking it.”
    

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28. “why are copyright infringers so keen on
    putting a big ass COPYRIGHT section on
    sites/things they just copied ? This defies
    common sense...”
    b2
    19.10.01
    

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29. “I guess this makes a b2 license for now.”
    b2
    19.10.01
    

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30. “from now on b2 will be released under
    the GPL.”
    b2
    03.02.02
    b2 0.6 pre-release
    

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31. b2 is Free Software
    

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32. b2 is Free Software
    (free as in freedom, not as in beer)
    

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33. WordPress is Free Software
    (free as in freedom, not as in beer)
    

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34. the end of the story?
    

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35. Moveable type 3.0
    

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36. Freedom 0
    the freedom to run the program,
    for any purpose
    

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37. Freedom 0
    Freedom 1
    Freedom 2
    Freedom 3
    

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38. ZOMG!
    

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39. ZOMG!
    people can give my stuff away for free!
    

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40. ZOMG!
    how can I do client work?
    

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41. ZOMG!
    it’s impossible to run a successful business!
    

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42. don’t take my word for it...
    

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44. “Going GPL didn’t change anything
    about our business.”
    Adii Pienaar
    

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45. “we got a lot of flack when we
    forked Jigoshop to create
    WooCommerce”
    Adii Pienaar
    

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46. “The GPL gave us the opportunity
    to contribute to WordPress core,
    which is now being used by millions
    of people.”
    Adii Pienaar
    

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47. “It influences the general quality of
    code within the WordPress
    ecosystem, making all products (as
    a collective) better.”
    Adii Pienaar
    

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48. “It forces theme and plugin
    providers to focus on the support
    of their code as the primary way
    of building a sustainable business.”
    Adii Pienaar
    

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49. “It’s not about money; it’s about freedom.”
    Mark Pilgrim
    

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50. The End
    

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51. The End?
    

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52. Questions?
    @SiobhanPMcKeown
    

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