OpenERP is distributed under the terms of the AGPL license. Assuming a public-facing OpenERP server, I would like to know what it means for some situations:
Modified and custom modules must be open-sourced under the AGPL. This means that simply changing a few things, even trivial, or assembling a custom module for the sole purpose of adding a few initial data (like a slightly modifed view) place the burden of making the module available to the public. This can require significant resources (e.g. making sure there is no sensible information present, modifying OpenERP to offer a prominent link to download the changes (which will require "open-sourcing" that modification too), hosting the sources, ... is there any provision to not require such small changes to place such burden ?
I wonder how the requirements of the AGPL interact with the ability of OpenERP to be fed Python code by users that is executed just like its own source code. For instance workflow activities can be modified through the web interface and can contain Python code, or XML files often use Python code to specifies domains. Does it mean that the modified workflow activities or the data file must be open-sourced ? If yes, who must open-source such fed Python code on a SaaS, the user or the SaaS company ?
It seems to me that OpenERP as distributed via Launchpad is always distributed under the AGPL license. This means that people, when redistributing modified code, do so also under the AGPL. I also think they retain copyright of their own work. This is especially true for code made available in "merge proposals". How is it possible for OpenERP s.a. to sell OpenERP under a commercial license as part of the OpenERP Enterprise since it seems that code that was contributed back via Launchpad gives to OpenERP s.a. only the rights of the AGPL, not more ? Should OpenERP s.a. also open-source all its custom code running on openerp.com ?
What about the translations ? If I change a translation in database and that translation is publicly visible, should I provide a modified .po file (according to AGPL concept of editable source) ?
Al what is in database is data not code (even if it is "Python syntax" wich comes from English language wich was invented ¿?. It meas data is data and can not be contaminated by any licence.
.. hence, since "customizations" that are simply XML a Python code are just "data", they don't fall under AGPL.I would argue that putting those customizations in a module for convenience doesn't change that.
So you find a way to escape the AGPL requirements, just put your whole module in database or between <xml></xml> ? That doesn't seem right.
Well, I am a free thinker, but we must be objective, and I think in this cas it is not Black or White, we have a lot of grays areas.
@Vo Minh Thu, As your all efforts useless on OpenERP, all credited to ODOO now. You out now, people will understand only when they had loss on their creative effort on modules & features.
@Vo-Minh-Thu, now on v8 in modules author details no more see default, all contribution will be lost from community...