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when do I need a commercial license ?

trufo test
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A c++ dev. decides to create a GSAP GUI and sells it to banner makers. A banner maker downloads GSAP and uses the GUI to create banners which he sells to different companies.

Who has to buy a commercial license : The dev, the banner-makers, the companies ? 

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Great question, @trufo. There are actually a bunch of companies who have built tools like that on top of GreenSock technology and it's definitely custom  "Enterprise License" territory since it wouldn't be fair, for example, if 1 developer builds a tool that lets thousands of people build custom GSAP animations via a GUI under a standard single-developer license. And we wouldn't want to require each user of that tool to get their own license either (although they wouldn't even need one if they're just using the core/public/non-member tools in something they're not charging for) because that'd be too cumbersome. We want the builder of this tool to have a clear path to profits without licensing headaches that could burden their end users, hence the custom Enterprise license that we can discuss privately. 

 

I think it's very smart to leverage GreenSock technology in a scenario like this (and would be well worth the cost of an Enterprise license) because it allows you to piggy-back on all the work we've done to ensure cross-browser compatibility, performance, and all of GSAP's unique capabilities. If you use an open source alternative and the author abandons it, you're stuck. If you build your own, you'll spend a lot of time solving the challenges we've already solved and you'll have to take on the entire support burden (which can be quite hefty, trust me). 

 

In short:

  • Yes, this is absolutely possible and we'd love to help get you connected with the proper Enterprise license
  • We can make this license cover the end users of that product so that they won't need to get a license of their own
  • Please contact us privately to discuss details like whether or not members-only bonus plugins will be used, etc. 
  • If nobody (including the users of the tool) is making any money from this and only the core/public/non-member GreenSock tools are used, that would all qualify under the standard "no charge" license. However, I'd imagine that the developer of this tool would want their end users to have the freedom to make money off of the animations, thus I'd recommend getting an Enterprise license. 
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Thanks Jack,

 

Actually I'm interested in:

  • We can make this license cover the end users of that product so that they won't need to get a license of their own

Because the banner-makers will be making money from their customers.

but you say...

 

it wouldn't be fair, for example, if 1 developer builds a tool that lets thousands of people build custom GSAP animations via a GUI under a standard single-developer license".

 

Does that mean I would have to buy multiple dev licenses (one is 200.- yearly right?)  if I want to sell my GUI?

 

Anyway if it's a special contract, could you please give me your email and I'll contact you.

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