You are correct. Since WP is GPLv2, there's nothing to prevent a hosting provide installing WP, making changes, and charging for the 'enhanced' service and keeping the code for themselves, because the hosted app isn't being 'distributed' to end users. (There may indeed be some nuance if part of WP is client-side JavaScript...)
And this is exactly the case that Affero GPL was written for. (Affero is a modification to GPLv3.)
I'd like to know what is the most Stallmanite license out there. The kind that corporate lawyers would like to stay far away from, that forces downstream projects to be as open as the source.
Affero GPL. If the public can touch the product or service, you have to provide the source. My company avoids incorporating any GPL-licensed libraries, even those with linking exceptions.
Comments
You are correct. Since WP is GPLv2, there's nothing to prevent a hosting provide installing WP, making changes, and charging for the 'enhanced' service and keeping the code for themselves, because the hosted app isn't being 'distributed' to end users. (There may indeed be some nuance if part of WP is client-side JavaScript...)
And this is exactly the case that Affero GPL was written for. (Affero is a modification to GPLv3.)
any recommended resources to learn more about licenses, differences and when to consider what?
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/
While I don't know if this site offers advice, when I need a quick summary that explains the license the first place I check is https://tldrlegal.com
The Open Source Initiative[1] is a good place to start.
1 - https://opensource.org/
I'd like to know what is the most Stallmanite license out there. The kind that corporate lawyers would like to stay far away from, that forces downstream projects to be as open as the source.
Affero GPL. If the public can touch the product or service, you have to provide the source. My company avoids incorporating any GPL-licensed libraries, even those with linking exceptions.