Hello. I wasn't sure what kind of forum I should ask this question to, but I know LQ is an excellent resouce for questions and answers regarding Linux, Open Source, and anything in general really.

So, my question is:

I have this content management application I wrote in PHP with a MySQL database. I have recently sent in a copyright application to the US Copyright Office, and I want to be able to sell this CMS as a single-user licensed web-application, or even as a reseller licensed app.

I have tried looking on google for information on how to write a non-open-source license. I want it to be proprietary, but with very few restrictions. Basically, the licensee can't redistribute it, or resell it (unless its a reseller license), or call it their own, but they can modify to their own needs in-house.

So, I was wondering if any LQ users have any tips, suggestions, links, or ideas on where to start writing a license like this. Thanks!

A license is a license no matter what. You can write a license specifying that only people with not more than four fingers on the left hand can use your software.

The important thing that you need to consider is how are you going to enforce your license?

I don't think you could sell a CMS using PHP/MySQL. The market is pretty much sewn up with PHP-Nuke, Post-Nuke etc and all of them can be payed if the person feels like it.
Your CMS must have an amazing feature or two if you think it can go up against these giants, with the backing of the Nuke community.

My CMS is aimed towards a very very small market. I'm not intending on making millions or even thousands off of it. Just a few extra bucks for spending many hours on it. If you are curious, that market is a CMS that is aimed specificially towards unsigned bands, band managers, and indie labels.

That's cool. Remember there are apps like Photoshop and then there are similar apps that serve a different purpose like GIMP.

Try Zend Encoder to protect your source code from being viewed. You can try serial keys which are tied to domain names but that will frustrate you customers in the long run.

Thanks, jnunezNYC for the tip on the Zend Encoder. I will have to give that a try. Certain licenses I do want to hand out allow them to modify it for in house uses. But others that Zend thing will be helpful.

And also, I can see how a license is a license is a license etc. So, can anyone point me towards an already written license (non-open source, sorry), that I could follow with writing my own?

Thanks for all the help.