Licensing of a Software

Question

I am developing a system that uses Apache server, Laravel, Mysql etc.

Well, I would like to license this system, and my question is whether I can do this and if so, what kind of license should I use, given the technologies I’m using have their licenses.

My intention is to license as private software.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You can license in any way you want, because:

• Laravel is under the mit license, which allows the use of the code in proprietary systems;
• Apache HTTPD is under the apache license which - although substantially more complex than MIT and BSD - also allows use in proprietary software;
• Mysql is under the GNU GPL license, what at first means that it can only be combined with other GPL compliant software (and the derivative work must necessarily be licensed under the GPL). The key word here is combined: simply utilise Mysql - connecting to it via socket, sending SQL commands and getting answers - does not characterize a derivative work, neither according to GNU nor from the legal point of view (Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer).
  • Note that this is a special case; in general, if you are using GPL components in your project, it could not be licensed as proprietary software. Careful with that "etc"...

Do not forget however that most of these licenses require you to correctly assign the source, and make clear to those who are receiving the software the rights they have under it (e.g.: you cannot lie by saying that you are the author of Laravel, nor prohibit your clients from making copies of Mysql).

I suggest reading of that related question for a more complete view of the licensing process. In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to the different ways a software interacts with others, to determine whether a certain use is permitted under the license used. For example, if you make modifications to Mysql and want to redistribute them, you must use the GPL license; and if your system only works on this modified Mysql - and not the original - then it probably will be considered a work derived from it, and therefore would also have to be licensed under the GPL (again, I am not a lawyer, but this is a plausible interpretation).