By maria_zk on

Hi, I am not sure I understand 100% the licensing so I will just go ahead and ask.

Am I allowed to create a theme directly out of zen theme, add my own CSS and sell it? Is this permitted?

Thank you.

⋅ Categories: Drupal 6.x

Comments

drupalin’s picture

drupalin commented

Yes you can.

jarek foksa’s picture

jarek foksa commented

There is no doubt that you are allowed to sell Drupal themes, just make sure you provide full text of GPL license with theme. You may also want to provide separate license for your CSS files and images.

Check Drupal Licensing FAQ for more info.

hungdo’s picture

hungdo commented

You can build your own theme base on Zen theme, very easy and i think you can sell it. I also built some themes free to use, please visit and comment. :D http://symphonythemes.com

Jeff Burnz’s picture

Jeff Burnz commented

Technically you are incorrect, you cannot sell GPL code, what you can sell is the CSS, images, js etc that is not derived from the GPL code, and any services that go along with the product. If this is not clear in your EULA and/or other licenses then you are breaking the law.

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voipfc’s picture

voipfc commented

I believe you can sell GPL code, but are required to include any changes you make or add to it, and include the GPL licensing with it.

I think it can be sold for the cost of duplication or printing or whatever, which can be practically anything 'reasonable' so long as the buyer agrees as to what 'reasonable' is.

I am not an expert in this area though, correct me if I am wrong. There could have been some changes since I last checked, which is probably ages ago.

/voipfc

jarek foksa’s picture

jarek foksa commented

to sell (third-person singular simple present sells, present participle selling, simple past and past participle sold)
1. (transitive or intransitive) To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.
I'll sell you all three for a hundred dollars.

As far as I know there is nothing stopping you from selling GPL-ed software (including both support and code) as long as you DO NOT change the original license and provide all sources to your client. You don't have to provide sources to anybody else. You can charge any price. You should provide some additional value (e.g. customization or support) because nobody buys product which is already available for free.

If you were distributing GPL-ed software publicly in binary form, then you are obligated to provide source code "for the cost of duplication or printing or whatever" to anybody who would wish it.

Some big-name companies such as Novell and Red Hat have been making money this way for years.

Jeff Burnz’s picture

Jeff Burnz commented

LOL, wtf was I thinking, must have had to much booze at Drupalcamp... what I thought I was babbling about was relicensing GPL to commercial, doh... sorry for the confusion. You make it very clear in your first comment about providing the explicit licences, that is what I was really trying to say.

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Adaptivetheme - theming system for people who don't code.