PHPObject - License

*THE COMMENTS MADE HEREIN DO NOT REPLACE THE ACTUAL LICENSE
*PLEASE READ THE GNU LGPL FOR THE ACTUAL LICENSE OF PHPOBJECT

Someone asked me why PHPObject is released under the LGPL instead of the GPL, and what difference does that make. In my opinion, the LGPL is more beneficial to developers using the library because the LGPL ("Lesser GPL") is a more permissive license compared to the GPL. The main difference is in the 'freedom' of software using the library to be made 'non-free'. Note that when we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom of use, not price. Freedom of use includes freedom to modify and redistribute source codes. Under both licenses, you are allowed to charge a fee for your software (but anyone can redistribute your software without charging any fee).

Under the GPL, software using the library would have to be released to the public under the GPL as well (or not released at all). So for example, the author of an application that uses GPL'ed libraries MUST make his source codes freely available if he releases the application publicly (eg. as an online application available to the general public). Of course software made for a client's own use can be made non-free (unless the client releases the software to the public, as is the case if the client engages you to develop a commercial online service).

Under the LGPL, software using the library can be released as a non-free software to the public if the software is deemed "a work that uses the Library" instead of "a derivative of the Library". Please read sections 5 and 6 of the LGPL for details. In general, if your software serves the same functions as the orginal library (for better or worse), then it is a derivative, otherwise it is "a work that uses the Library". Therefore, the author of an application that uses LGPL'ed libraries is NOT obliged to make the source codes of his application freely available even if he makes the application available to the general public (under commercial terms, for example). This is the case of PHPObject. You can use PHPObject to develop "an application that uses the Library" and make it non-free (but redistribution of the PHPObject library within your software is still subject to LGPL terms).

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