Modifying wordpress for commercial use (without “watermarks”); possible?

WordPress is GPL, so you can do what you want with it. However, just be aware, if you modify WordPress (or any GPL product) and redistribute it, even if you sell it (which is fine), you can’t prevent the person you sell it to from redistributing it themselves…they could put it on the net as a free download if they want. So, yes, you can do what you are asking, but you just need to be aware of the implications of modifying a GPL app for sale…once it leaves your custody, then the person who has it is free to do what they want with it.

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with WordPress in any official capacity, so this is NOT an official answer from a WP guy…just insight from a volunteer helper here in the forums.

I’m asking this on behalf of the company I’m in, and we are interested in using the wordpress technology and modify it as we want, which includes removing the wordpress watermarks, and creating our own thing from the code. And we intend to create this as a commercial product as it were one of our own.

So the question is, are we allowed to do this? If yes, does it includes a fee? If no, is there anything that could be done otherwise to achieve this? What exactly is your policy on this topic?

Yes, you can change it any way you like. No fees. WordPress is free software.

However, WordPress is GPL-licensed, meaning that any and all modifications you make will be available to everybody else to copy, give away for free, and do anything else they like with, and you cannot stop them from doing so. Your modifications must also be released under the GPL license, making them all into Free Software as well.

If you’re wishing to sell a commercial product, you may wish to consult the Free Software Foundation or a good copyright attorney to fully understand the implications of the GPL and how it relates.

You will not be able to obtain WordPress under any other licensing scheme, so it’s GPL or nothing.

Your modifications must also be released under the GPL license, making them all into Free Software as well.

Once caveat here…nothing about GPL forces you to release your code. However, if you do release it, then that is absolutely correct…you can’t control what anyone else does with it after it’s out…in other words, you can’t put a more restrictive license on it…it will be GPL.

However, it is perfectly legal for you to modify the code, only install it on your own servers, and sell access to accounts on your server without giving away the code. I’m not making any judgments about the “ethics” of this…just pointing out that it is legal and many people do it.

Once caveat here…nothing about GPL forces you to release your code.

This would be a good example of using GPL based code for SaaS purposes.

However, it is perfectly legal for you to modify the code, only install it on your own servers, and sell access to accounts on your server without giving away the code. I’m not making any judgments about the “ethics” of this…just pointing out that it is legal and many people do it.

Ooops…should have read this more thoroughly! ??

Very informative answers and very much appreciated.

Thanks!