Howard Miller

My sales pitch for Docker. This may in no way apply to you.

I typically, have (say) the current version of Moodle, the future version and possibly other versions all running side by side on the same box. Quite possibly with different versions and configurations of server software. If someone says, "what happens if we try PHP 8.3?" I can change the config in the php container (often literally just changing the version number) and rebuild the thing. 30 seconds and it's running. I can also share my config files in GitHub and somebody else (or me on a different PC/Mac) is guaranteed to have the identical setup. 

You may not care about any of this - and, if you don't, it's just a layer of complexity that you don't need.

PLEASE.... don't post multiple threads about (what appears to be) the same problem...

https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=461020

You are welcome to read my profile - if you have not done so already.

They are absolutely not violating GNU.

I assume that if they add plugins for free and there are problems you will also expect them to provide support for free? There's nothing in the GNU license that says anybody has to do anything for free. It just says the software is free. It is - you can download it from the plugins database.

I'm a big supporter of open source but businesses also have a right to make a profit. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any open source software.

They are no doubt charging you for hosting and for support. Just adding a plugin comes with some consequences. You may be asking them to support something they have never seen and don't know if it works. They will charge you to evaluate it. I don't find this unreasonable. This is just an example.

As you say, you can run your own server and do whatever you like. Then it's you who gets shouted at when it goes wrong. This is the joy of open source. You have real options.