Display / Location of Theme Licensing

Display / Location of Theme Licensing

by Patrick Masson -
Number of replies: 4

I just installed Moodle  3.10+ and would like to install a theme/plugin. After searching the Theme directory, I discovered several interesting options, however with several (either the entire theme, or individual files included with the theme) I was not able to find a license for the theme that would allow me to download, install, and/or even modify the theme.

Examples include:

  • "Moove:" The "Description," "Versions," and other Moodle pages do not include any licensing or copyright information (that I could find), nor does the theme's repository on GitHub, which would typically include a file called "LICENSE.md" or "COPYING.txt." I also checked the theme's website, and wiki, but neither of these provided licensing information either. Finally, I downloaded the theme (.zip file) to check to see if the license was included there, and did find several files that included licensing information in the header (which I assume means that information is also included in the GitHub files), for example /moove/amd/src/accessibilitybar.js and  /moove/amd/src/metismenu.js (but not all files, e.g. /moove/amd/build/accessibilitybar.min.js). While this approach does provide some licensing information, it is very difficult to find. According to the Free Software Foundation, "You should also include a copy of the license itself somewhere in the distribution of your program. All programs, whether they are released under the GPL or LGPL, should include the text version of the GPL. In GNU programs we conventionally put the license in a file called COPYING."
  • "Fordson:" Again the "Description," "Versions," etc. pages do not provide any information on licensing nor does the GitHub repository. Also like Moove many of the files do contain licensing and copyright information in file headers, but not all the files.
  • "Klass:" Same as above, no licensing information including on Moodle pages, but some files in the source does include licensing information in file headers, while other files lack licencing information.

Looking at "Adaptable" I see that a COPYING.txt file with the license (GPL) is included in the GitLab repository, but not on any Moodle docs.

Is there a standard way to find licensing information for the themes listed on Moodle?

Is there any verification undertaken--by Moodle or before a theme can be included in the list--to ensure themes are licensed appropriately?

I'm not trying to call anyone or project out, and I only referenced the three examples above because they came up first when I searched the themes catalog. Also, I might be completely missing something and the licensing information is indeed included, but accessed in a way I am ignorant of.

Thanks all - Patrick

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In reply to Patrick Masson

Re: Display / Location of Theme Licensing

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
Hi Patrick,

There is verification before a theme or plugin is listed in the Moodle plugin database, e.g. CONTRIB-7493.

I'm not sure about a 'standard' way though.

All PHP has to be GPLv3 licensed. Other files need to have a GPLv3 compatible licence i.e. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses - which I think applies the JS and third party libs. The CSS is a bit of a grey area and there has been discussions on this in the past.

Gareth
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In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Display / Location of Theme Licensing

by Patrick Masson -
Gareth,

Thank you so much for the information (lesson). I see there is quite a thorough process, including specific licensing review, "Licensing: All files appear to be licensed under the GNU GPL v3."

Again, I just wanted to be sure I was operating in line with the copyright and licensing expectations of all involved. I hope my inquiry was taken in that light and not as an attemt to shame any person or project.

Thanks again - Patrick
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In reply to Patrick Masson

Re: Display / Location of Theme Licensing

by Richard Oelmann -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
I suspect that, as themes are not standalone programs and can only be used in Moodle and therefore become part of the "distribution of your program" when installed, and as Moodle itself specifies that they be (or as Gareth points out, those elements for which it applies) GPLv3 licenced, then most of these themes rely on the same lines as are found in Boost. eg (from Moove):

// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
// along with Moodle.  If not, see .
/**
 * Moove.
 *
 * @package    theme_moove
 * @copyright  2017 Willian Mano - conecti.me
 * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
 */
That is, they provide both a link to the gpl site itself, but also to the fact that the full iicense (COPYING.txt) is contained in the Moodle distribution itself, so that anyone using the theme does have that copy.
I believe the intention of the license is to ensure anyone using such software has a copy of the license rather than to insist that every copy of Moodle has multiple copies with each element that can be individually downloaded and moved to another installation.
Possibly, this is a generous interpretation and the GPL text itself should be included with every plugin - I suspect that would involve around 1500 of the 1700 or so plugins currently on the database (I have't checked - that is entirely guess work) being updated to include a piece of text that anyone using Moodle already has in the top level of their distribution. Taken to extremes that could also mean having to have the text in every plugin that makes up core Moodle as well (given the modular nature of Moodle and that those elements are sometimes created by people/teams outside Moodle HQ as well, even when adopted into core).

Richard
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