Drupal API iPhone app
bertboerland recently found that someone has created a Drupal API iPhone app. In the iTunes Store, it is sold for $1.99 and says "Copyright 2008 Sehat Rosny." I'm pretty sure this is a big no-no since on api.drupal.org, it says specifically, "All source code and documentation on this site is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2 and later. Drupal is a registered trademark of Dries Buytaert." I e-mailed Apple about the violation so hopefully it is removed. I like the idea, but it's just not done correctly. Note the author also has done the same for PHP and Apache documentation. I haven't looked into either of those to see if they are violations as well.
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This actually seems like it
This actually seems like it could be a useful app... maybe it would be better to work with the developer and make sure the GPL license is included, rather than calling the apple cops?
Hard to believe you're correct...
I understand your sensitivity to people charging money for services within the open source community, but I find it very hard to believe that this violates the GPL in any way. Basically, if I am reading you correctly, you are claiming that any "viewer" of the api documentation must be GPL (which is essentially what this app seems to do). Well, lets roll out the lawsuit against Microsoft, since I'm pretty sure IE isn't GPL. While you're at it, why not sue apple themselves? I have to pay for my iPhone, and so if I view the apps from the browser (which I also pay for, though not directly) am I violating the GPL? Now I'm no lawyer, but I can't believe that the GPL extends to every technology it comes in contact with, which is basically what you are claiming.
How about instead of fretting about how a non-browser, non-open source, viewer of the api might violate the GPL (again, imho a highly dubious claim), you join us in building a Drupal iPhone api to allow all developers to easily connect Drupal sites to iPhone apps? Heck, we could even make an api viewer as the first test app! That seems to be a much less expensive, and much more reality based, approach to this.
In other words- the developer had a good idea, so why don't we take it and make it our own and... make it free?
Alex Urevick-Ackelsberg
ZivTech: Illuminating Technology
Not about charging
The biggest misconception is that charging money for GPL is a problem. IT IS NOT. There is nothing in the GPL about charging money. And in fact, this isn't about GPL at all.
It's a trademark violation -- you can't use the word Drupal commercially without permission.
If we don't protect the trademark, then anyone could slap the label Drupal on any piece of code, which wouldn't be good for any of us.
And yes, I agree this is useful. I think if this were a free app, it wouldn't be a problem. Crell, would that be correct?
Trademarks don't care about
Trademarks don't care about free or not. If Dries issues a blanco checque permission for free use, then it is not a problem, if not then it is.
Regardless of the trademark it is a GPL issue. The docs are GPLed too (they are inside the source code). Hence they need to provide the source code together with the docs (or offer a way to download it). They do IMO not have to GPL the application.
However, they also infringe basic author's rights by claiming copyright for the whole thing (application + docs).
Hi Dave Reid
Hi Dave Reid and others,
I am the author of that Drupal API iPhone app. I create it for fun and for my personal use. Since none is available yet on iPhone and some of my friends want to use it and the only way to share it is to post it to Apple App Store.
Initially, I am testing the iPhone Store Market by charging the price and see how it goes. Since, now I know how the whole iPhone Store Market works, NOW, I just set the price to FREE and there is NO MORE FEE for it. It might take a while for the changes to take effect. (Probably about 3-4 days)
As far as the copyright things, it is dynamically set from one of the box which need to put author name. I just remove the copyright things from there. There is no more copyright name there now. :)
Also, if you guys want me to remove it feel free to let me know, I can remove it easily and don't ever use the word DRUPAL anymore. :)
Also this Drupal API documentation for iPhone app is very basic and is not a whole iPhone APP. The whole native iPhone app will have much more capabilities into it. Currently, I don't have time to create one yet for Drupal Community. So, I just put very basic iPhone app for my own use.
Feel free to let me know if you have more question.
Thank you,
Sehat
I just remove the Drupal API from the app store
I think to make it easier for right now, I just remove Drupal API from the app store.
That's great. now, I have completely removing it from app store and it is not there already.
S
IANAL but...
IANAL but it seems like it would be legally possible to maintain the Drupal API app, as long as the copyright statement includes something like "Drupal source code and documentation is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2 and later." Also, looks like the draft trademark policy -- http://groups.drupal.org/node/15023 -- would allow non-commercial products (like a free iPhone app) to use the term "Drupal".
Bring it back!
I'm not brushed up on the whole GPL stuff, but whatever it takes please bring this app back. I would have paid $2 to have the api easily accessible in my pocket. Maybe put it in the store for free and accept donations?
Also, if anyone is looking for other apps to play with Drupal, I recently downloaded iBlogger to post blog entries to my Drupal site. Works awesome.