SEO-CMS Public License Agreement FAQ

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1) What is the SEO-CMS Public License (SPL)?

The SEO-CMS Public License is an amended version of the Mozilla Public License (MPL) v1.1. Because the Mozilla Public License was originally written to specifically cover the Mozilla source code and not serve as a general purpose open source license, SEO-CMS Inc. made a few modifications specific to SEO-CMS Open Source. The SPL covers the entire source code comprising the SEO-CMS Open Source project.

2) What were the changes to the Mozilla Public License?

First, we changed every reference to Netscape or Mozilla to SEO-CMS. Second, we added Exhibit B which contains the following two sections.

Section I – This is lawyer-speak that simply states Exhibit B applies to all of the source code that the SPL covers.
Section II – In order to maintain the SEO-CMS brand, this section restricts people from using the SEO-CMS name and logos without permission from SEO-CMS Inc. However, we do ask that you keep the SEO-CMS copyright logo at the bottom of application screens.

3) What am I allowed to do with code that is covered by the SPL?

All kinds of great things! We are dedicated to building the strongest and most involved open source community possible. The SPL allows you to:

a. Run the world’s best CMS (content mangement system) for your business.
b. Implement and integrate SEO-CMS for companies.
c. Fix bugs.
d. Build new programs leveraging our APIs.
e. Freely distribute the SPL-covered source code.
f. Share contributions.
g. Sell new modules that you create under a license other than the SPL.

4) What am I not allowed to do with code that is covered by the SPL?

a. Sell any SPL-covered code.
b. Sell derived works of SEO-CMS.
c. Restrict access to derived works of SEO-CMS. If you make a code modification available to one person, you are required by the SPL to make that derived work freely available to everybody.

5) Can I sell new SEO-CMS modules I create?

That depends. If you write a new module that is not a derived work (see below), then you own that code and can do with it what you please. In other words, you can sell it and distribute it under any license you wish. The key is that you can’t sell a derived work of the original SEO-CMS code or any other code covered by the SPL.

6) What is a derived work?

The simple rule to follow is if you modified any file in SEO-CMS Open Source other than a configuration file such as config.php, you have created a derived work. However, if you do nothing but add new source files to SEO-CMS, then your code is not a derived work.

a. Examples of a derived work. These all apply to source code initially made available under the SPL.
- i. Any code modifications other than changes in a configuration file.
- ii. Including bug fixes.
- iii. Adding or removing fields.
- iv. Modifying API’s.
- v. Modifying existing code to add a new API.
b. Examples of code that wouldn’t be considered a derived work.
- i. An entirely new language pack.
- ii. An entirely new template.
- iii. An entirely new module that may use existing API’s.

7) Do I own the code I write?

Absolutely. Whether the code you write is a derived work of SEO-CMS or completely new code, you own the copyright to that code. However, if you modify code covered by the SPL (i.e. create a derived work), the SPL license and everything it grants and restricts still applies to your code. Most importantly, you can’t sell a derived work and must make it publicly available.

8) Can I charge a fee for providing a hosted version of SEO-CMS?

Yes, the SPL does allow you to do that. However, if you modify SEO-CMS source code in any way as part of your hosted offering, you must make that source code publicly available. Also, we highly encourage hosting providers to purchase a subscription to the SEO-CMS Hosting Edition in order to realize the benefits of production support.