nop licence definition of distribute

I would love to use nopCommerce as the basis for a commercial solution. I would be enhancing the solution (it would be a derivative of nopCommerce).

The changes I will be implementing are extensive and will incur a significant investment. I would be running this as a web site. I would not be distributing the source code. Due to my personal investment, I would not want to be obliged to distribute my unique source code. (Although there would be aspects which I would be happy to give back to the open source community.)

And this is the sticking point. From what I have read (including the GPLv2 and its FAQs and various forums on nopCommerce), the sticking point I see is on what the definition of 'distribute' is.

I believe that hosting a web site and allowing the public to view web pages served by the solution would not constitute distribution, and therefore would not require distribution of source code.

I have sought informal advice from a commercial lawyer and he agrees that the licence does not explicitly define distribution. I can see the 'intent' behind open source development, however I'm not sure this is enforced by the licence.

Before using the solution, I would like to confirm interpretation of the licence in this context.

I should note that I am willing to pay for a commercial licence however I know the nopCommerce current licence does not work like that. I am also looking into the viability of marchantTribe and several other commercial offerings, but I am very impressed with what the community has built in nopCommerce.

Please clarify who your software users will be. Only you (your personal e-commerce site)? Or customers who will purchase the software?

Hi Andrei,

The software itself will not be sold. It will be run as a website. So the public will be able to buy products via my customized version of commerce, but not buy the software itself.

Cheers,

Luke

In this case you don't have to contribute your source code

Well that is wonderful to get the confirmation.

Thanks very much for your advice, and for your prompt responses!