GNU GPL and my templates [closed]

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I am creating free templates and sharing them on my website. I used the creative commons license, but I have to use GNU GPL from now on.

I am not sure if I understand the GNU GPL license:

1. Does it mean that the users are allowed to remove my footer link in the template?
2. Is it allowed to use base64 encryption (to protect the link) according to GNU GPL license?

Answer 1

Without knowing the specifics of what you're doing, the best bet is to read the FAQ. Any further questions you can actually E-mail the FSF directly if you're case isn't addressed by the link, but in most cases it does. Licensing software is never an easy thing to do, regardless of what you choose.

Answer 2

1. Does it mean that the users are allowed to remove my footer link in the template?

I'm no lawyer, I can't tell you when it's allowed or not to remove a copyright statement. Probably at the time it's not valid any longer.

Normally as far as themes are concerned, there it's accepted that those public-side-facing copyright notes can be removed if the templates are under GPL. That's probably true for other licenses as well.

2. Is it allowed to use base64 encryption (to protect the link) according to GNU GPL license?

Yes, but you must offer as well the source-code of that theme then. Source-code is code that can be easily edited, without any obfuscation. So you would have two versions: One with the base64 "encryption" (it's not encryption but obfuscation) and the other without that obfuscation.

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If you want to better preserve your credits, you can consider to release your themes under the AGPL license.