“The GNU Affero General Public License is based on the GNU GPL, but has an additional term to allow users who interact with the licensed software over a network to receive the source for that program.”

Note that the GNU use the word “interact”, not “connect”, it means “human interaction” it has nothing to do with whether the software makes use of sockets or whatever else.

The additional term referred to in the introduction is the #13. “Remote Network Interaction; Use with the GNU General Public License.”
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html

That at some point says:
“… if you modify the Program, your modified version must prominently offer all users interacting with it remotely through a computer network (if your version supports such interaction) an opportunity to receive the Corresponding Source of your version…”
This additional term is required to limit the usage of software (or as GNU more correctly puts it: “to allow users to receive the source of that program”) under a software-as-a-service model because the GPL v3 do not limit it:
Pls. Read the definition of propagation an conveying, and take note of the item 2 “Basic Permissions” that states:
“You may make, run and propagate covered works that you do not convey, without conditions …
…Conveying under any other circumstances is permitted solely under the conditions stated below.”

This means that the GPL applies conditions to your usage of the software solely in the case that you convey (read: distribute) the software.

Just took the time to actually read about the FLOSS exceptions on your site and see that you will answer these questions in due time. For my circumstances, the commercial license is quite fair. Ext-JS puts a shine on any project by improving its UI and function many times greater than it might be without.

We really appreciate you and your work Jack. Please end the confusion. While it may be clear how GPL v3 relates to Ext-JS in your mind, it would help the current and would-be users of your library to know what your answers are to Venkman’s thorough set of scenarios and questions.

The GPL requires you to distribute your drivative work, based on GPL work, in source form if you distribute your work in non source form. Derivation is defined as linkage of any form or flavor. You may escape that requirement if your work links against the GPL work in form of plugin mechanism, where you can exchange it or take it out and your work still works.

This means that whatever you do on the server, commercial and/or proprietary, is not in any way restricted by the GPL licenses of a javascript library you use, because 1) you don’t distribute your derivation and 2) it’s not a derivate because it consitutes no linkage under the GPL.

I am not a lawyer however.

Cheers.

A. I want to build my personal/friends/family site using Ext JS. It’s a non-profit, personal use site. You know, maybe some sort of blog, forum, photo gallery, whatever. I’m not distributing my site’s code as an application, just building this particular site for personal use.

B. I want to play a bit with Javascript, do some demos, maybe some nifty small utility. I do plan to distribute whatever note-taking/music-managing/bookmark-keeping/micro-forum application I build. People will download it freely/openly and be able to install on their servers.

C. As above but I do intend to have a commercial version of my photo-gallery application people can buy and then download or something like that.

D. As above but instead of selling the application, I intend to sell the service as a hosted application.

E. I want to use and extend Ext JS. I have some ideas for some components or themes or small modifications which I’d like to implement. I do not plan to distribute these changes.

F. As E, but I do plan to distribute, in an open free way.

G. As E, but I’m thinking about a commercial distribution of my enhancements.

H. I want to use Ext JS in some professional projects. I do some work for some client and want to include use of Ext JS in those projects. This is paid work, but it’s not widely distributed. Just to the particular client.

I. As H, but I plan to use Ext JS for internal application development at the company I work for. I.1. Some intranet or maybe I.2 the public corporate site.

J. I need some particular modifications to Ext JS which are not in agreement with part/the rest/some of the community or are too specific to my needs or whatever reason. I’m thinking about a fork.

(If anyone sees more situations not covered, please do add them)

The questions are:
1. Am I entitled to do these things?
2. Under which circumstances?
3. Which licences apply?

Please, when answering this, try to differentiate legal and moral reasons. If I *can* do it, but it would be frowned upon or otherwise be seen as rude, inmoral or improper, state so.

Thank you.