Understanding the GPLv3 License

[mvlcek]

Seems I don't completely understand the distribution terms of the GPLv3 license.

I want to inquire about how one can bundle GetSimple CMS with a theme that has whatever license and distribute the whole package in a marketplace?

How can one appropriately bundle/package/release a whole installation with theme while keeping the theme closed source or other commercial friendly licensed while still satisfying the terms of the GPLv3 license of the other parts?

User friendliness is paramount and is the reason for my inquiry about deploying a single package of both a theme and installation.

thank you.

As I understand the GPLv3 (see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq#GPLModuleLicense and http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq#GPLAndPlugins), any module and plugin for a GPLv3 licensed program must be GPLv3 licensed. This definitely applies to plugins and IMHO even to themes - they won't run without GetSimple and are thus modules or plugins.

So you can sell a theme or plugin, but you must distribute it to your buyers under the GPLv3 (or a compatible license), which means

• you must give your buyers the source code for no more than the price of the plugin/theme (see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq#Does...AllowMoney)
  
• any buyer can decide to distribute the software to anybody else without your consent (see e.g. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq#DoesTheGPLAllowNDA
  

Summary of my interpretation of the GPLv3: You can bundle your theme/plugin with GetSimple and you can sell it for money, but the whole bundle must be distributed under the GPLv3 and you must provide the source code, if asked for it.
If your first buyer decides to put your theme/plugin bundle on a server for free downloading - bad luck.