Questions tagged [closed-source]
For questions about closed-source software and how it relates to open source.
95
questions
4
votes
1
answer
66
views
Is 2.11BSD source code encumbered?
The early '90s brouhaha regarding USL code in 4BSD was eventually sorted out with the release of 4.4BSD-Lite. How did this agreement apply (if at all) to 2BSD source code, and was an unencumbered ...
5
votes
2
answers
125
views
Choosing an open source license for my up to now commercial project
I'm about to re-license my desktop application as open source software. For several years now, the application is published and sold under a commercial license. While working on a new version (...
3
votes
1
answer
137
views
Can I open-source an API client for a closed-source product?
I want to open source an HTTP Client for a closed source software product.
The vendor of this product distributes the binary packages / executables only in forums / repositories which require proper ...
3
votes
1
answer
92
views
File format convertor for open source and proprietary file formats
I want to build an application that will enable a user to convert files from any one of three formats, into any of those three formats. In order words, there are three formats:
aaa, bbb and ccc
My ...
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
Can a GPL binary, that has no source code released, be reverse engineered, and that source be released? [duplicate]
can a GPL binary, that have no source code released, be reverse engineered and that source be released?
Some devs get a project in GPL, implement new things, release the binary but do not release the ...
-2
votes
1
answer
738
views
Can I use Qt for closed source commercial software? [duplicate]
I am developing an application for geological research that I intend to sell for commercial purposes. With it I need a GUI too. I started using tkinter, but it seems to be, at least for me, somehow ...
2
votes
1
answer
143
views
Do I have to comply with the LGPL when using a BSD-licensed library in a closed-source application, which then uses other LGPL-licensed libraries?
I am going to implement a closed-source, commercial application that uses and links statically the modbus-esp8266 library which is released under a BSD New license. At the same time, you can see in ...
2
votes
2
answers
172
views
How do I make a partially-free open-core product that permits custom plugins?
I have a native application I would like to release under a copyleft license. The application embeds a Lua interpreter and exposes an application-specific interface to Lua code. I would like to ...
2
votes
1
answer
86
views
Commercial aggregate with open container and closed GUI
Is it possible to sell open-source R scripts in Linux containers run with Podman on Windows and control the containers with closed-source graphical user interface (GUI)? The straightforward and openly ...
5
votes
2
answers
502
views
Can I link (and distribute) a closed source library within my (GPL) open source software?
I could not find a good answer to this except here. Maybe it's trivial, or maybe it's just uncommon.
I want to develop an open source application, and I am keen to use a GPL license, but I need to ...
1
vote
0
answers
34
views
Can I close source a derivative work of an OSS project I am the copyright holder? [duplicate]
I have a new project that will be open source, but want a fork to override some implementations just for me. (a package inside a Go project)
I am the copyright holder of the project (upstream)
I have ...
4
votes
2
answers
225
views
License that says you must share changes if you use the code?
Many licenses seem to say you can do whatever you want but must include the source with the binary (or credit if you're using MIT)
There's two cases that come to mind.
Firmware/software on hardware. ...
10
votes
6
answers
4k
views
How can I license open source software with a closed-source component?
Let's say I have three repositories on GitHub that I own. I made repository #1 open source under the MIT license. Repository #2 is mostly user graphical interface stuff, but I made it private without ...
3
votes
1
answer
70
views
Features in an Open Source Project that can only be tested against proprietary data
I'm currently involved in a project to produce a tool for carrying out certain types of standardised performance assesments on a specific type of industrial plant, that will soon be going open source. ...
2
votes
1
answer
499
views
Does the Common Public License (CPL-1.0) require dynamic linking to keep source code undisclosed?
I'm looking into the rules of the Common Public License and am wondering how far it's copyleft-ness extends.
AFAIK: With LGPL you can keep the library you wish to use in a separate .dll or .so, ...