Decompiling plugins

Discussion in 'Bukkit Help' started by Dimpl, Jul 21, 2012.

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  1. Offline

    Dimpl

    Is it legal to decompile and modify BUKKIT PLUGINS for personal use/server use, if you do not publish them? On this forum I have seen
    but this is not official, and I can't find anything on the terms and service that addresses this.
     
  2. Offline

    Omnitv

    Interesting....
    h31ix
     
  3. Offline

    McLuke500

    I don't see anything wrong with it if it's for personal use.
     
  4. Offline

    ZeusAllMighty11

    For personal use, maybe.


    But to release or remake, or steal code from...it can get you arrested...
     
    McLuke500 likes this.
  5. Offline

    Omnitv

    If it is for learning yeah I wouldn't mind, If you are using it for your own plugin meh..
     
  6. Offline

    McLuke500

    If it was just for their own server then who would ever know, but if they published it it would be bad but I don't see anything wrong for personal.
     
  7. Offline

    Necrodoom

    check the license of the plugins for that, though even if the license is free to use, its still recommended you give credits. also, most of the bigger plugins have a git, which you can use to fork the plugin and edit it for your self.
     
  8. Offline

    Dimpl

    The context is on a public server, and not to be published on the internet.
     
  9. Dimpl This hardly depends on the license of the plugin. Some examples:
    "All rights reserved" - No, you are not allowed.
    "GPL(v2/v3)" - Yes, you are allowed. But you have to respect the GPL while doing so, which means that your work has to be licensed under the same license which means that you have to give out the sources if you give out the binary.
    "AGPL" - Yes, you are allowed. Same "but" like we saw at the GPL, but with more restrictions. You may need to ask a lawyer if running a bukkit plugin means running a application service provider, cause in that case you have to give the sources, too.

    Saying bukkit == GPL so all plugins are GPL, too is bullshit. We use bukkits API, we don't use/modify it's codes. Even if we have the LGPL designed for such purposes nothing in the GPL stops you from linking non-GPLed code to GPLed code (so using an API).
    As a side note the GPL is invalid at bukkit, cause bukkit uses mojang code (it uses/modifies it directly, it isn't just linking to it) but mojangs license isn't GPL compatible.
     
  10. Offline

    ImminentFate

    It depends on whether the owner of the plugin would let you or not, and for what purpose you want to decompile it. Generally, a plugin dev should not mind if you decompile a plugin for personal use, but it is recommended that you check with them before commencing. They may get annoyed if anything you develop ends up looking notoriously similar to what they have - and this could lead to trouble.
    Just remember, even if a plugin has source code, or the dev lets you decompile it, NEVER copy stuff straight out of it. Its a horrible thing for a dev to put a lot of effort into some code that does something cool, to have someone rip it right out of his plugin, tweak it, and publish it as their own.
     
  11. Offline

    Dimpl

    Thank you!
     
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