Extended License Changes - Part 1

Lance, we did just go over to the knowledge base and read again the extended licensing examples for both Themeforest themes, and Codecanyon plugins. Now we understand why virtually no theme ever sells an extended license, LOL

We recall a past thread where someone reported to Envato a designer who was selling their website design services based upon a Themeforest theme, and Envato contacted them and had them buy an extended license, but in fact the extended license does not allow a website designer to use a theme for multiple websites – they have to buy a license for each new site. So it seems Envato broke its own licensing terms. I would be very curious to see how many extended theme licenses sold actually meet the license terms, vs being bought by designers who think they now have an unlimited license for site building (which is not the case according to the knowledge base).

The CodeCanyon License Usage Example says

The Extended License could be used for any of the following: Part of a software package for sale.

So is a new theme a “software package”? If yes then all questions go away! We consider a new theme to be a software package, but does Envato?

We did understand and agree with the point in the Plugin Extended Licensing Description:

f.You may incorporate the Work in a work which is created for Resale by you or your client (provided that (i) only the complete work is offered for sale, (ii) where technically possible, you must ensure the Work cannot be extracted as a stand-alone item from the second work, and (ii) the terms of sale prohibit the buyer extracting or re-using the Work as a stand-alone item).

We assume a new theme is considered a complete work, and if the plugin is integrated into the core in one of the ways which we previously described, then it is not normally extractable as a standalone useable item, and even were it so, one would not get the shortcodes etc that are hooking into it, except with a great degree of difficulty. The terms of prohibiting buyer extraction are fine.

The grey continues, but as long as we are all in sync that a theme is a software package, then the issue of standalone type plugin integration into the theme framework is resolved.

We thought that was clear enough, but it sounds like it’s not. Give us a couple days to talk to some WP experts within the company again and hopefully we’ll have some better clarifications.

Regarding a website template for sale being a software package – no, those aren’t the same thing. The usage examples are pretty clear that you could not modify a web template and resell it.

The user with flagged posts should be banned, because it is just spamming account with another spam on his profile page. (just delete my post after You read it, because it is offtopic)

I’ve read through the notes and will read the licenses in detail to make sure I’m clear on the idea. I do think the chain can extend more than 3 …

We want to use a picture from Photodune for a cover of a book we want to sell. Do we need the extended or the regular license? Also do we have to make a copyright notice for the picture? If so how could this be worded.

kind regards greg

threebytes said
We want to use a picture from Photodune for a cover of a book we want to sell. Do we need the extended or the regular license? Also do we have to make a copyright notice for the picture? If so how could this be worded. kind regards greg

The main thing you cannot do is offer the item up for resale either on its own or as part of a project.

Also check the PhotoDune License Knowledgebase for more details. Thanks!