Re: Is it OK to use my rewritten GNU program commercially?

[none]

In article <1184387491.312562.34200@n60g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
Inventor  <Inventor-66@comcast.net> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I have released my sports prediction software under the GNU GPL,

I presume that you wrote it since you use the word 'my' above.

>folks
>are using it, and I plan to add the latest features for a 'final'
>release.  The first version is a klugy hodgepodge of code with only a
>command line interface, and now that I am learning the beginnings of
>OOP and CGI, I am rewriting the program from scratch with a web front-
>end.  The new code will have the same algorithm as the old code, but
>is completely new in every other way.

Doesn't matter in either case. It's yours. You can do what you want with
either the original or the new code.

The only thing you cannot do is to impose restrictions on the GPL code
that you've already released to others.

>My friend wants to possibly commercialize the new code someday,
>setting up a web page and charging for either access or software or
>datafeed.  Now, i'm fairly sure we could charge for datafeed since
>that is not the program, just the data for the program, but could we
>charge for access or software of the new program? 

You're misunderstanding. It's YOUR CODE! You can do what you like with
it. The GPL licenses the code to others that are using your code. The
GPL doesn't put any restrictions on the original author.

>I would keep the old program on the web for free in any case.

It's yours. Do what you like.

>Is it OK to commercialize the new rewritten version, or have I given
>that away for free as well?

Rinse and repeat. You can give it away, sell it, commercialize it, or do
all three at the same time.

Now it's a different issue if you asked this question of someone else's
code that you received via the GPL. But even then if it's a complete
rewrite of the algorithm, then it isn't a problem.

>Also, is it OK that we would have a free
>command line version and a paid web version, or is that just plain
>wrong to do?

It's your code. It's your choice. License it how you like.

>I think it's OK because the new program is totally new,
>but i thought I'd ask wiser folks to be sure.

It's yours. So it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

BAJ