Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
IV
A common misconception, even among some fans of free and open source software (FOSS), is that
the GPL prohibits selling GPL-licensed software. This is commonly known in the community as the
“free as in beer or free as in freedom” dispute. Wikipedia describes the terms and conditions of
the license this way:
“The terms and conditions of the GPL are available to anybody receiving a copy of the work that
has a GPL applied to it (“the licensee”). Any licensee who adheres to the terms and conditions is
given permission to modify the work, as well as to copy and redistribute the work or any derivative
version. The licensee is allowed to charge a fee for this service, or do this free of charge. This latter
point distinguishes the GPL from software licenses that prohibit commercial redistribution. The FSF
argues that free software should not place restrictions on commercial use, and the GPL explicitly
states that GPL works may be sold at any price.”
The Free Software Foundation, keepers of the GPL, explains its position at http://www.gnu.org/
philosophy/selling.html.
Click a link to visit a developer's site. Although we're prepared to say that anyone who has jumped
through the hoops to get into the Commercial Themes Directory passes the minimum quality test,
we have also heard good things from community members about these other sites and themes (in
alphabetical order):
•
iThemes (http://ithemes.com)
—Some 30 themes populate this site, in a range of prices. Click
your role (blogger, businessperson, or web designer/developer) to see the range of themes
suited for that role. Professional web developers can buy a one-year license to all themes here
for about $500.
•
Themeforest (http://themeforest.net/category/wordpress)
—ThemeForest is “the leading open
marketplace for web development,” and includes theme developers for a variety of blogging
platforms, including WordPress. As an open market, you can find a pretty cheap theme for your
site here. A recent visit found 384 WordPress themes for sale at prices from $10 to $40. You can
sort their directory using price, number of sales, user rating, and several other items. Other cool
features of this site include the ability to search themes by tag, the ability to preview each
theme, and even the documentation is rated! We also like the “Lost in the Woods” blog, with
weekly blurbs about what's happening at the site, and some featured themes as well.
•
Thesis (http://diythemes.com/thesis)
—This site provides a very professional, highly customiz-
able theme, designed for a noncoder's convenience. This site also provides free upgrades for life
and a busy support forum.
•
WooThemes (http://www.woothemes.com)
—This global team produces at least two new
themes per month. They support users through tutorials and a forum. The Showcase pages
(http://showcase.woothemes.com) identify some of their themes customized for clients including
Tanya Tucker, the Fox Sports Design blog, and TVScape magazine.
