Support » Requests and Feedback » Is WordPress removing every single plugin not GPL compliant?

  • Resolved JCV

    (@psykonevro)


    Or is it mine only? This is what I received today. Note WordPress removed first the plugin, then asked me to be GPL compliant:

    Your plugin http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/imdb-link-transformer has had to be temporarily withdrawn from the WordPress plugin, as it contains code that has not been released under the GPL (or a compatible license)

    The file containing the code is: highslide

    Plugins are, and have always been, required to be GPL (or compatible) licensed, as clearly stated at http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/about/

    Anyone should be able to download any plugin in the repository, confident that they can use and adapt that code as they see fit, within the strictures of GPL. By including code that is not GPL, this undermines the rights of the person whose code was used and violates the repository guidelines. When we become aware of a licensing issue, the plugin is closed and the author emailed immediately. This rule applies equally to all users of the repository. Once the non-GPL code is removed, and the new version committed, the plugin can be re-opened. This timeframe for this is entirely dependent on the speed of response.

    Please remove the code and alter the plugin so it is not required, so your plugin can be returned to the directory. We suggest you find alternate code that is GPL compatible and use that instead. For more information on what types of licenses are compatible with GPL, please review the following links:

    http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html
    http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#AllCompatibility

    If you must keep this code, it is permissible to load this code remotely under the following conditions:

    the source must be the site that created the code, it cannot be hosted elsewhere (i.e. hosting Google’s code on your own site is not permissible)
    the blog owner must document the reason the code needs loading, where it is loading from, and all conditions under which it can be used (i.e. the licensing and usage information)
    If the code is a .js file, it cannot be minified or otherwise obfuscated (i.e. no foo.js and foo.dev.js files)

    Please let us know when you have made and committed the changes so the plugin can be reviewed and re-opened.

    Thank you
    […]

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Moderator cubecolour

    (@numeeja)

    The policy applies to all themes & plugins hosted on WordPress.org.

    http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/about/

    Moderator Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)

    (@ipstenu)

    🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist

    It’s not just you. ALL plugins are, and have always been, required to be GPL compatible.

    Thread Starter JCV

    (@psykonevro)

    Thanks for you comments, but my question was: “Is WordPress removing every plugin not beeing GPL compliant”?

    I’ve been using creative common compatible tool in my plugin for years. I received this email yesterday. I’m wondering if such action is a new move, not if the policy is justified.

    “Is WordPress removing every plugin not beeing GPL compliant”?

    As, and when, the plugin repo maintainers become aware of them, yes.

    I’m wondering if such action is a new move

    No.

    Please read all the guidelines. While it is breaking our rules the person you harm the most is the original author. It is totally unfair on them.

    Thread Starter JCV

    (@psykonevro)

    I’ve been investigating a bit more. It is clearly a new move: hundred of plugins have always included highslide (as mine did). For years. And several still includ it. Check the wordpress archives…

    And please… my point is not to debate here the choice of WordPress on the license. I know, it is clearly stated, etc. But many plugins were (are) in a “grey” zone of wordpress inaction. It seems like it is changing.

    However, I’m still quite shocked wordpress’ staff removed first my plugin, then asked me for updating it.

    Moderator Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)

    (@ipstenu)

    🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist

    The email was pretty clear, I thought. Policy is remove, then contact the author. This is that way for everyone.

    And yes, there are a lot of plugins breaking policy. As we find them, and report them, they are taken care of. There’s no active oversight, like there is with themes, to get code into the repo at this time, so we do a lot of after-the-fact clean up. This is just a way of life. As people step up and help report on the plugins, more get removed 🙂

    If you find a plugin violating policy, or that’s got serious security issues, please email plugins[at]wordpress.org and you’ll see it taken care of 🙂

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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