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I stumbled upon this today mystorepal com/zen-cart- custom-modules /easy-register-and- login-using-facebook-account-on-zencart
I have to say, it seems like a total scam. I did a quick search of google and the zen forums with little result so either its new or its to good to be true.
That looks feasible, but probably a violation of the GPL, since it requires ioncube (which encrypts modules) for software designed to be integrated into a GPL-licensed application.
so what you mean is you can't protect a module intended for use on public licence software? Is that because although the creator did actual work (intellectual property), the underpinnings of that work (i.e. zencart) is GPL which voids your right to make money through a captive market (i.e. encryption, patent, etc)?
Will this effect me?
Should I not use it because I won't be able to tinker with it if need be?
Has anyone out there installed this mod?
Yes. Yes and no. Yes. Up to you. Don't know. Let's flesh that out.
An add-on which extends Zen Cart breaches the GPL under which Zen Cart is released if it's not released under the same license. And that license explicitly prohibits the encrypting or obfuscating of the code. Code can be compiled as long as source is openly available - but that's not normally relevant for PHP apps.
Yes, this is because the work is underpinned by work of the Zen Cart team, the osCommerce team before them and the contributions over the years of both communities. But no, that doesn't prevent people from making money from their ideas. If it did it's unlikely that there would be an open source movement. It just means that this mod author has misunderstood the open source business model. You can charge for open source code. The Open Source Foundation actually encourages this, as making money from it helps to keep the quality up.
Yes. This will affect you in minor way. If you have problems with the mod, you won't be able to debug them. You won't know what it's doing with your user's Facebook credentials, etc.
Only you can answer how important being able to tinker with the mod would be.
And I can't tell you whether anybody else has installed it.
thanks kuroi, I do appreciate it.
I think that says it all - sounds like it could be a security issue as well as a usability hurdle.Quote:
You won't know what it's doing with your user's Facebook credentials, etc.
It was a nice thought though. I hope someone develops a similar but OS module soon
I rather hope the author open sources it. That doesn't mean he has to give it away, he can still sell it.
He can even achieve some level of protection from redistribution as the GPL only applies to the source code. So he's perfectly entitled to make clear that the installation and usage instructions are copyright and cannot be redistributed. Similarly for any images used (assuming they're his to start with).