Open Source Licensing

The TwoDesk Component library is 100% GPL (General Public License). If your software is also 100% GPL compliant, then we do not require you to pay us for licenses. We do request (but do not require) that if you release your software publicly, you let us know. We believe this a fantastic opportunity for the open source community and for those of you who develop open source software.

The formal terms of the GPL license can be found in the GNU General Public License section of the component library reference manual. Please note that the GPL can be very restrictive, so if it doesn't meet your needs, you are better served by our commercial license.

Specifically:

• The TwoDesk Component library is free for those whose software is 100% GPL. If your application is licensed under GPL or compatible OSI license approved by TwoDesk Software Company, you are free use TwoDesk Components in your application ('application' means any type of software application, system, tool, or utility). You do not need a separate signed agreement with TwoDesk Software Company, because the GPL license is sufficient.
• Under the Open Source License, you must release the complete source code for the application that uses TwoDesk Components. You do not need to release the source code for components that are generally installed on the operating system on which your application runs, such as sytem files or libraries.
• Free use for those who never copy, modify, or distribute. As long as you never distribute (internally or externally) software that uses TwoDesk components, you are free to use it for powering your application, regardless of whether your application is under the GPL license or not.
• You are allowed to modify the TwoDesk components in any way you like as long as the distributed derivative work is licensed under the GPL as well. (If you wish to submit your modifications to us, please visit our contributions page.)
• You are allowed to redistribute the TwoDesk Component Library binaries and source code, but when you do so, the copies will fall under the GPL license.

Non-Profits, Academic Institutions, and Private Individuals

If you represent a non-profit organization or academic institution, we recommend that you publish your application as an open source/free software project using the GPL license. If you do so, you will be free to use the TwoDesk Component Library free of charge. If you have strong reasons not to publish you application in accordance with the GPL, then you should purchase commercial licenses.

If you are a private individual, you are free to use TwoDesk Components for your personal applications as long as you do not distribute them. If you distribute them, you must make a decision between the Commercial License and the GPL.

Please note that even if you ship a free demo version of your application, the above rules apply.

Recommendations

Please note that TwoDesk Software Company can only give advice on which license is right for you. The final judgement, of course can be made only by a court of law. With that said, we recommend the commercial license to all commercial and government organizations. This frees you from the broad and strict requirements of the GPL license.

To all free software enthusiasts we recommend TwoDesk components under the GPL license.

To anyone in doubt, we recommend the commercial license. It is never wrong.

When in Doubt

If you have any questions concerning TwoDesk Components licensing, feel free to contact us