I have a tkinter app either I need to implement or switch to pyQT which I definitely do not want to do given they are written differently and I just spent 3 years writing tkinter and some helpful template tools, I want to switch to blender apps though or implement some blender features, but I don’t quite understand the license, does the GNU 2.0 imply I need to make my blender apps open source or can I ask for fees to use it like I would with blender addons?
The thing with the program is that it needs to be a connector hub for many different uses that utilises blender and other software to create a background/foreground pipelining tool.
The Blender Python code must be open source, but you can also ask for monetary contributions- I sell open source code myself on BlenderMarket, as do many other creators.
Your Tkinter code does not have to be open source- just the code that connects your Tkinter app to Blender needs to be GPL licensed. In other words, you can write a separate app and connect it to Blender- this app can be closed source- and only the connection code has to be open source.
How do people creating Blender add-ons protect themselves from people redistributing their software for free? Does this not imply that technically you don’t need to pay for anything in the blender market that is code based?
Technically yes- although the BlenderMarket doesn’t allow people to sell existing content, but yeah, there are no legal restrictions stopping people from acquiring Blender Python add-ons for free.
The Blender community values open-source and is highly protective of itself; I’ve never had any problems with people redistributing my add-ons. I offer all my add-on code for free on GitHub anyway, and people very frequently will tell me they got the code from GitHub and then bought it on BlenderMarket as a sign of appreciation for me writing it.
There is no protection from theft possible… for big companies it is easier than for freelancers to take someone to court and also only then if they are aware of it…
It also doesn’t mean you have to publish the source openly but to give it packed with your product…
But maybe your source is difficult to read and understandable for someone other than you …??
You are also free to have a hobbiest and a pro or studio version… profesionals and studio will use the later to have better support because the addon may economise their workflow…