Using Emacs for commercial purposes

Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[tylercstrouth]

Hello:

Apologies if this isn’t the correct place to ask.

I am in the process of starting my own business and I am wondering, if it is fine to use Emacs within my business for commercial purposes? From my understanding it appears I can, but I just wanted to clarify and make sure.

Thank you,
Tyler Strouth
E-Mail: tylercstrouth@gmail.com

Re: Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[phillip.lord]

Yes, there are no restrictions on any use of Emacs.

The limitation is that you cannot include Emacs within your products 
unless you do so in terms with the GPL Copying Requirements.

Phil

On 2020-07-15 12:09, tylercstrouth@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello:
> 
> Apologies if this isn’t the correct place to ask.
> 
> I am in the process of starting my own business and I am wondering, if
> it is fine to use Emacs within my business for commercial purposes?
> From my understanding it appears I can, but I just wanted to clarify
> and make sure.
> 
> Thank you,
> Tyler Strouth
> E-Mail: tylercstrouth@gmail.com

Re: Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[Giovanni Biscuolo]

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Dear Tyler,

tylercstrouth@gmail.com writes:

[...]

> I am in the process of starting my own business and I am wondering, if
> it is fine to use Emacs within my business for commercial purposes?

Yes, under specific conditions (see below): this is not Emacs specific
but is common to all free software.

In general, you are free to use the software for any purpose.

If you modify Emacs (or any Emacs package) you must comply to the terms
of the licence.

See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License#Use_of_licensed_software
for general information about freedom of use of GNU GPL licnsed free software

[...]

Happy hacking! Gio'

-- 
Giovanni Biscuolo

Xelera IT Infrastructures

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Re: Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

tylercstrouth wrote:

> I am in the process of starting my own business and
> I am wondering, if it is fine to use Emacs within
> my business for commercial purposes? From my
> understanding it appears I can, but I just wanted
> to clarify and make sure.

Yes, of course. It happens every day.

It is a tool. Is it OK to use a torque wrench
even/especially for commercial purposes? Go right
ahead and use it for the _intended_ purpose, be it
commercial or altruistic or a little bit of both.

Good enough for government work!

But if your business is immensely successful feel
free to contribute in any way to Emacs - maybe the
GNU project, if Emacs doesn't have a Swiss bank
account of its own :)

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[Dmitry Alexandrov]

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Giovanni Biscuolo <g@xelera.eu> wrote:
> If you modify Emacs (or any Emacs package) you must comply to the terms of the licence.

> modify

Or distribute.

> See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License#Use_of_licensed_software for general information about freedom of use of GNU GPL licnsed free software

Actually, one might find reading the legal text itself [1] more benefiting than reading many various texts about the text (thankfully, FSF have always tried to keep its licences in English than legalese ;-)

In particular, many simplifications as well as detailed explanations of GNU GPL fail to state prominently the only point one might be really interested in:

| You are not required to accept [the terms of] this License [agreement] in order to receive or run a copy of the Program.

[1] <f1> C-c
    or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html

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Re: Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[Giovanni Biscuolo]

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Dmitry Alexandrov <dag@gnui.org> writes:

> Giovanni Biscuolo <g@xelera.eu> wrote>> If you modify Emacs (or any Emacs package) you must comply to the terms of the licence.
>
>> modify
>
> Or distribute.

Ooops: sorry!

[...]

> Actually, one might find reading the legal text itself [1] more
> benefiting than reading many various texts about the text (thankfully,
> FSF have always tried to keep its licences in English than legalese
> ;-)
>
> In particular, many simplifications as well as detailed explanations
> of GNU GPL fail to state prominently the only point one might be
> really interested in:
>
> | You are not required to accept [the terms of] this License
> | [agreement] in order to receive or run a copy of the Program.

+100 :thumbup:

Thanks, Gio'

-- 
Giovanni Biscuolo

Xelera IT Infrastructures

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Re: Using Emacs for commercial purposes

[Jean Louis]

* Giovanni Biscuolo <g@xelera.eu> [2020-07-15 16:33]:
> If you modify Emacs (or any Emacs package) you must comply to the terms
> of the licence.

Only if software is conveyed to others beyond person's commercial
premises.

If software is modified and used internally, there is no need to think
about any licenses.

Jean