32 WordPress, Thesis, and GPL Links to Help You Formulate An Opinion
Here are a collection of articles, from all over the Web, concerned with the WordPress Vs Thesis Vs GPL debate. Maybe it’s a debate or just drama. At issue is the license used by WordPress: the GNU General Public License (GPL). And down to the nitty-gritty: GPLv2. Matt Mullenweg has recently called out Chris Pearson for not licensing Thesis under the GPL, even though Thesis directly incorporates from WordPress code. Since Thesis does use WP code, Thesis must be released under the GPL as well. This is not the case though. You can check out the Thesis terms of service below. Interestingly, Thesis would not have to be released exclusively under the GPL and could look at a dual-license. We’ll see what happens.
You, yes you, have the resources at your finger tips to go and become educated on the topic.
I’ve used Thesis, I have a developer license to the WordPress theme. I’ve used Thesis for my sites in the past but I always end up moving away from the theme. I will go more into that later, but for now I just want help out with the uproar heard around the Internet and Twitter regarding #thesiswp. Feel free to do a search or add a column to your favorite Twitter Client and you’ll see the constant discussion happening.
I’ve got a view on this that goes beyond GPL, Thesis and WordPress, but I don’t want to rant or rave about any of them. I’ve aggregated a massive list of articles that get involved in the entire issue. I didn’t care what point of view the article took. The article could attack Mullenweg’s point of view, Pearson’s point of view, or talk about both and how each of them have points.
The point here is that you, yes you, have the resources at your finger tips to go and become educated on the topic – if you want to even bother. You’re in a great position to look over both sides of the debate and take a stand. Yes, you can use these articles to help formulate an educated opinion. I’ve got a link to the WordPress Licensing, GPLv2 Licensing, the recorded debate by Andrew Warner, and many articles on “WordPress, Thesis, and GPL.”
These links will allow you to back up your argument if you so choose.
The Goods to Help You Out
WordPress Licensing – WordPress licensing here
GPLv2 Licensing – Get into the GPLv2 License and What it is
Thesis Theme Licensing - Thesis Theme Terms of Service
I tried to embed the video but it kept giving errors. No worries, You can watch it on Mixergy.com. Here is the “debate” and comment’s are great to look over too. It’s quite long but you can also listen via mp3 away from the screen.
The WordPress vs Thesis vs GPL Articles from Around the Web
- WordPress, GPL, Thesis and Speeding Tickets
- Syn-Thesis 1 And Chris Pearson
- The Great Thesis Vs WordPress Debate Rages On
- The GPL is Marxist
- #thesiswp
- The Thesis Controversy
- WordPress Could Sue Popular Theme Developer Over License Dispute
- WordPress/Thesis Conflict Highlights GPL Nuances
- Thesis The Antithesis of WordPress…sort of
- On WordPress, Thesis, and profitable GPL Software
- WordPress And Thesis Go To Battle
- The Coming Thesis Vs. Automattic Battle
- WordPress vs Thesis Theme by Cory Watilo
- Thesis Pissing in the WordPress Well?
- Analysis of GPL’ed Code in Thesis
- The “Real” Story – WordPress vs Thesis Theme
- The WordPress vs Thesis GPL Debate
- WordPress vs Thesis Can WP Themes be Non-GPL?
- How Infectious is the GPL? Battle of Words Between WordPress and Thesis
- Thesis + GPL + WordPress = Pain
- WordPress, Thesis, GPL, and Premium Themes
- WordPress, the GPL, and Thesis
- Thesis and the GPL
- WordPress Matt Mullenweg & Thesis Chris Pearson GPL Controversy
- WordPress, Thesis, and GPL Heartache
- Thesis vs WordPress: GPL License Debate
- Another Take on the #thesiswp Drama
- Why the GPL Doesn’t Apply to Premium WordPress Themes
- @personified’s Ethos of Creative Entrepreneurship vs the Hive
- Why WordPress Themes are Derivative of WordPress
Conclusions?
As I said, I want this post to be nothing but information for you. I’m formulating my own blog article with a few interesting observations related to the issue and business in general. Look for that coming up soon. I hope these links help you to be informed and educated. I also hope the issue doesn’t result in WordPress having to “sue” to get everything resolved.
With resources at your tips, I look forward to even more interesting articles related to GPL, WordPress, and Thesis.
Photo credit: Huasonic via Flickr
*edit – now 34 links 
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Thanks for including me! It’s an important issue to discuss, though I’m thinking that the question of whether Thesis devs violated GPL is pretty much decided.
Tris Hussey´s last blog ..WordPress- Thesis- GPL- and premium themes
True enough! I agree. It’s pretty decided and was the case when Thesis was built.
An interesting debate. So far I’m leaning towards Matt’s argument, especially if all Chris has to do is change one thing and he could still sell the theme.
Sire´s last blog ..Saving Money So You Can Host Your Own Blog
I hear ya. It’s just like what the Headway Theme just did – Went GPL and issue was done. It will still sell and it will be in compliance. It’s interesting because it’s generated a lot of thought and I believe we’ve seen a great deal of people remember why they chose WordPress to begin with!
At this point, I’m just waiting to see if ma.tt will really follow through on his offer to provide an alternate premium theme. Been waiting to hear back for a while now. We’ll see… I am sure he has been inundated (no new blog posts on ma.tt since July – he’s obviously busy)… but at some point, the offer is going to start to feel like a publicity stunt.
http://twitter.com/photomatt/status/18548422506
James @ Photography´s last blog ..Disco Laundry