About the commercial use of Pelles C

[stdq]

   Hi everyone. I've seen another topic about the commercial use of Pelles C, but I still have some questions on the matter: if I use all tools of Pelles C to develop and release commercial, closed-source software, do I need to release the source code of my program? Can I release the software under any license I choose? Do I have any restriction (in a general sense)?

   Thanks in advance!

[Stefan Pendl]

In general there is not need to release your source if it is not open source.
The compiler you use doesn't force you to use any special license, since it is just a tool to get the job done.

Your customers are only interested in your application, they are not interested in the compiler you use.
You don't redistribute PellesC, you only distribute your application.

The license of PelleC applies only to you, your customers have to follow the license you ship with your application.

[stdq]

   Thanks, Stefan. So, basically, I can use all Pelles C tools (from the official website's overview page) to develop a closed-source, commercial software without restrictions and/or obligations toward Pelles C author? And I also can release the software under any license I prefer?

[Stefan Pendl]

See it this way, if you use the Mircosoft compiler your customers don't need to by a license from Microsoft, don't they?

[CommonTater]

Hi Stephan and stdq...
I agree that so long as you aren't actually bundling Pelles C (compiler, liberaries etc.) with your product, the license agreement for your software is between you and your customers.

The thing to understand is that C produces native machine code that is not dependent upon the compiler, linker etc. to run.  It creates a separate entity... thus Pelles C is no more part of your finished product than brushes are part of the finished painting.

[Stefan Pendl]

I have tried to find a license mentioned at Pelle's homepage, but there is none.

Would be great if there was a paragraph like:

Free for non-commercial and commercial use without notice of the creator of PellesC.

If this is the correct terminology?

[CommonTater]

I have tried to find a license mentioned at Pelle's homepage, but there is none.

Would be great if there was a paragraph like:

Free for non-commercial and commercial use without notice of the creator of PellesC.

If this is the correct terminology?

The actual statement would be up to Pelle of course... But it should state something to the effect that people are free to use Pelles C to construct programs for either commerical or non-commercial use.  It should also state that Pelle Orinius is the owner Pelles C and grants the user the right to use it freely for non-commercial uses.

Note: The underlined phrase could also say "freely for commercial or non-commercial use" at Pelles elective... But, in his place, I think I'd want to be paid for it if someone is using it to make money.
 

[AlexN]

I have tried to find a license mentioned at Pelle's homepage, but there is none.

What Pelle says about this:
Search for license in this task:
http://forum.pellesc.de/index.php?topic=254.msg996#msg996

[AlexN]

The thing to understand is that C produces native machine code that is not dependent upon the compiler, linker etc. to run.  It creates a separate entity... thus Pelles C is no more part of your finished product than brushes are part of the finished painting.

But I think a program developed with Pelles C contains usually the C-runtime functions and startup routines written by Pelle. So the ready product is not really free of software from Pelle.

[CommonTater]

The thing to understand is that C produces native machine code that is not dependent upon the compiler, linker etc. to run.  It creates a separate entity... thus Pelles C is no more part of your finished product than brushes are part of the finished painting.

But I think a program developed with Pelles C contains usually the C-runtime functions and startup routines written by Pelle. So the ready product is not really free of software from Pelle.

Good point...  But I don't think it changes my answer... Maybe a few hairs from the brush are in that painting

[Stefan Pendl]

I have tried to find a license mentioned at Pelle's homepage, but there is none.

What Pelle says about this:
Search for license in this task:
http://forum.pellesc.de/index.php?topic=254.msg996#msg996

Another thing, I wan't to know if you really mean the "Free for Professional use", coz I'm using many compilers majority are free, however there's a strict for using it for personal use only, which is kind'a odd. So I like to know more clearly the "LICENSE TYPE" of PellesC.

Yes, it's free - even for commercial use. If you start making money from applications written in Pelles C, I would very much appreciate a donation - but it's not required.

Pelle

Thanks for that thread, but it would really be better to have this information included on the web page of PellesC, since it is something essential for the users.

[CommonTater]

Thanks for that thread, but it would really be better to have this information included on the web page of PellesC, since it is something essential for the users.

I agree... Web page ... and help file.

[Stefan Pendl]

I agree... Web page ... and help file.

Thanks for reminding me that I first looked for that information in the help file

[CommonTater]

I agree... Web page ... and help file.

Thanks for reminding me that I first looked for that information in the help file

LOL... Well ya! ... everything else is in the help file... why not this. 

[Pelle]

You can do whatever you like with the compiled programs (including distributing runtime-DLL's etc.); What I don't want is for someone to take credit for my work, patch some executables in my distribution and sell it as "Bob's C", or whatever. Including the whole Setup in another package or on a CD-ROM etc. is never a problem - but I like to be informed about it simply to know where Pelles C is being used.

The Setup(s) start with a license page. Like with any other license page in a setup, everyone are using the "auto-ignore" mode apparently.
I'm not a laywer nor a native English speaker so the text may not be perfect. I'm not sure how to phrase it, especially so it works "internationally".

If a native English speaker can phrase this better, I'm happy to update the license text.

( Also: Especially if you are making money from selling programs built with Pelles C, it would be nice if you took some of that money and made a donation to Pelles C - but I will never require you to do so. I'm putting a fair amount of time into this project, so it would be nice to get something in return other than the bug-reports. )