GPL for artists

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The full text of the GNU General Public License is available here This section tries to explain the here. implications for Blender users.

Contents
Can I sell plug-ins for Blender? Can I sell my own version of Blender? In a few sentences, what is the GPL? Can my organization use Blender internally without giving up our valuable changes to our competitors? Can I sell my Blender creations? Can I change Blender and give it to my co-workers or employees? Can I give Blender to my co-workers or employees? Can I distribute the official blender.org releases under my own branding and name? How does the GPL and Blender benefit me? What about the splash-screen and icons? So I own the copyright to all output? What if I take screen shots of the Blender interface? So I can make games without having to worry about the GPL, right? What about my Python scripts? Can I license .blend files myself?

In a few sentences, what is the GPL?

You You You You are free to use Blender, for any purpose are free to distribute Blender can study how Blender works and change it can distribute changed versions of Blender

Can I license .blend files myself?

The output of Blender, in the form or .blend files, is considered program output, and the sole copyright of the user. The .blend file format only stores data definitions. In case you embed the .blend file with Python scripts, and the scripts provide bindings to other libraries or facilities, the next topic applies.

In the last case you have the obligation to also publish the changed source code as GPL.

Can I sell my Blender creations?

Anything you create with Blender - whether it's graphics, movies, scripts, exported 3d files or the .blend files themselves - is your sole property, and can be licensed or sold under any conditions you prefer.

What about my Python scripts?

When a script uses calls that are part of the Blender Python Script Interpreter, the interpreted program, to Blender, is just data; you can run it any way you like, and there are no requirements about licensing that data to anyone. The Blender Python Script Language is defined here: www.blender.org/documentation/249PythonDoc/index.html www.blender.org/documentation/blender_python_api_2_59_0/ This only applies to the Blender Python API calls. Scripts still have to follow the licenses of other code, bindings or libraries that they might use. If you link a Blender Python script to other libraries, plug-ins or programs, the GPL license defines they form a single program, and that the terms of the GPL must be followed for all components when this case gets distributed. The bottom line is that we consider everything you can create in Blender as 'data', including Blender scripts. But when you extend Blender with "other facilities" you have to follow the regulations of the GPL. OK is: Author publishes a Blender script mixed with own code, under own license. Not OK is: Author publishes a Blender script, calling a compiled C library with own code, both under own license. OK is: Author publishes a Blender script, that calls other scripts with own code, under own license. Not OK is:

So I can make games without having to worry about the GPL, right?
Games created in Blender (.blend files) are program output and therefore not covered by the GPL. You can consider them your property, and license or sell them freely. With stand-alone games however, any data that is included inside the actual stand-alone executable is covered by the GPL. If this is a problem then you should set up the stand-alone player so it reads from external .blend files. A common practice is to include a "please wait, loading..." scene in the standalone, and read level files externally. The Blender standalone player or the game player can be sold commercially too, but you have to make it available under the GPL conditions.

So I own the copyright to all output?

In almost every circumstance for blender, only the code and other GPL'd files themselves are covered. Any output of such material is copyright the person who produced the output, in this case, the artist.

What about the splash-screen and icons?

The splash-screen and icons are GPL'd material therefore when using them the terms of the GPL must be followed. Usage of the Blender Logo is only GPL too when used within the context of screenshots of

the GUI with or without splashscreen. The Blender logo is a trademark, usage guidelines are here. The Blender Foundation logo is also a trademark, and only used for official Blender Foundation communications.

Author publishes a Blender binary with own scripts, bundled under own license. The divider is "If the script runs in the Blender Interpretor". When the script calls code not running in the Blender Interpretor you are making bindings to other facilities, and the regular GNU GPL rules apply.

What if I take screen shots of the Blender interface?

To enable documention (like books) with author copyrights, screenshots of GNU GPL applications are considered to be licensed as an author wishes. However, this only goes for the screenshot as a "whole", as an illustration of how the software works. Individual items in a screenshot (such as icons) are still GPL. Copyright law in different countries actually differ in this area. Please consult legal advice if you're unsure.

Can I give Blender to my co-workers or employees?

Of course, you may give any of the versions of Blender on Blender.org to other people, or share it internally via a server. After 2.25 every version of blender can be freely distributed under the GPL.

Can I change Blender and give it to my co-workers or employees?

Yes, but if you make modifications you must comply with the GPL and if they request the source code you have to distribute that to them as well. You can charge for the version of blender you give to your friends even, but it must be licensed under the GPL, and you may not charge an unreasonable fee for the source code.

How does the GPL and Blender benefit me?

1) The GPL allows for developers to work on Blender without worry that their work could be copied into a closed application. They can keep their own copyright on the code even, reserving the rights to sell or license it as they wish to. 2) The GPL makes it so that all contributers must make their code open, this means that if someone distributes a version of Blender with a cool feature, everyone can have access to it. 3) The GPL ensures that all future Blender versions will always be available as Free Software, providing the core freedom users and developers expect from it. One of the main benefits of Blender is that it's truly "your own software". You or your studio can treat it as in-house software equally to the big powerhouses in the film industry.

Can my organization use Blender internally without giving up our valuable changes to our competitors?
The GNU GPL does allow your organization to use a modified version of Blender internally without offering the source-code as long as you do not distribute it outside your company or organization.

Can I sell my own version of Blender?

Yes you can, but only if you provide this new version of Blender and the sources to your clients under the same GPL license. The client then benefits from all rights the GPL offers; free to use it, or even distribute it when they wish. This method provides an essential business model for contracting and support business with Blender. You can freely sell fixed or changed code in Blender, for as long you deliver this as GPL to clients. You don't have the obligation to publish it for everyone.

Can I distribute the official blender.org releases under my own branding and name?
Yes, you are free to name Blender whatever you like, and repackage and distribute it under your own branding, provided you still deliver or publish it under the GPL conditions to your clients. You can NOT change Blender's copyright notices, nor make claims you wrote or created that program. Without explicit permission, you then can also NOT change existing claims or credits that have been published for Blender, such as feature or specification listings on blender.org, galleries or movies, release notes, screenshots, press articles, reviews, and so on. If you wish to rename and/or rebrand Blender, you will have to create and use your own credits and achievements as well.

Can I sell plug-ins for Blender?

Yes you can, but only if you provide the plug-in and the sources to your clients under the GNU GPL license. The client then benefits from all rights the GPL offers; free to use it, or even distribute it when they wish. Only if the plug-in doesn't work within Blender as "acting as a single program" (like using fork or pipe; by only transferring data and not using each others program code) you have the full freedom to license the plug-in as you wish.

Disclaimer: This document is no substitute for legal advice and just represents a subset of possible interpretations of the law and the GPL. For a more complete FAQ please refer to www.gnu.org or www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

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