Latest From Blogigs - Thesis Theme Goes GPL

Posted: 22 Jul 2010 10:31 PM PDT

After more than a week of hostility between Chris Pearson, the designer of Thesis Theme and WordPress top cat, Matt Mullenweg, things finally simmered down with the Thesis Theme finally adopting a split GPL for the Theme. In basic terms, this would mean everything that the Theme has to do with WordPress will be under GPL while all those that is the original work of the Thesis designer remains as property of the developers. Hope this do not sound too confusing. Frankly, I too am a little bit confused.

According to Mashable,

“the license that makes it possible to alter and redistribute this software as you see fit.”

Also from the same article,

“According to the GPL, software can be sold commercially but the user must be free to share the software, free to modify it, free to redistribute it to the community and free to share copies of his modified versions. In the words of the license, "If you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must pass on to the recipients the same freedoms that you received."

I am still in a confusion state, but if I read correctly, does that mean that I can now buy a copy of Thesis Theme, mod it (since the images and all are still owned by the original designer) and then re-distribute it for free?

Does that also mean that if I have a single license copy, I can mod it to look differently and use it for unlimited number of sites as long as I do not charge for the Theme, but only charge for the expenses incurred in modding the Theme? The present practice amongst Thesis modders is the user has to buy the Theme first in order to use the modded skins. Without the Theme, the skins will be completely useless.

According the Thesis designer, Pearson, this adoption of GPL will not make much of a difference to the majority as a big chunk of the Thesis Theme is still private property which cannot be re-distributed without license.

Does that not sort of nullify whatever the GPL states?

Confused? You bet.

Whatever, GPL or otherwise, the Thesis Theme is been so widely ‘torrented’ that it doesn’t make much difference anymore. Tips and Tutorials about the Theme is also so common that they do not even need to seek for official support. Those with ‘illegal’ copies have no problems solving issues with the Theme should they face any as the Net has become one big public support forum.

SUBSCRIBER'S BONUS DOWNLOAD - 5 photoshop action scripts.
Add your opinions and comments for Thesis Theme Goes GPL

The Thesis WordPress Theme By Chris Pearson One of my favorite theme designers around is Chris Pearson. If you do not know Chris Pearson, he is the guy who designed Problogger’s old theme and the present theme that Copyblogger is using, just to name the 2 better known names that everyone of you have heard before....
Thesis 1.6 Has No Problems With WordPress 2.9 Since the launching of WordPress 2.9, I have seen many queries about whether Thesis 1.6 will work with this latest version of WordPress. For those who have this worry, rest assured, Thesis 1.6 DO NOT have any problems with WordPress 2.9 Read more on Thesis 1.6 Has No Problems...
A Theme That Looks Like Thesis A major factor for the success of the Thesis Theme is the look and the great typography. It has a certain cleanliness and elegance to it that when you look at a blog running on Thesis in it’s default form, you can’t help but feel a little refreshed. Many...
WordPress Theme Thesis 1.6 beta Had a couple of purchases for the Thesis Theme Developers Version this month and I thought it would be appropriate to remind readers here that if you have intention to purchase the Thesis Theme, the latest Version 1.6 is available for Developers. Still in beta, Thesis 1.6 promises a...
Thesis Theme Hacked. A forum thread titled Thesis hacked at the WordPress Tavern Forum caught my attention. I was unpleasantly surprised that to hear that the Thesis Theme has been hacked and some malicious codes have been inserted to into the download file. The said hack is presently being hotly discussed in...