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I have recently created software using itext 2.1.7 inside. But my question is, can I sell this software for making money purposes?

I read their terms & conditions but I can't understand them.

davidsbro
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sk1
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    Duplicate of http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8705697/itext-2-1-7-in-commercial-project. Search before you post – 3dd Jul 09 '14 at 04:12
  • You may also want to read this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13515210/difference-between-lowagie-and-itext/13515403#13515403 and more specifically: http://itextpdf.com/salesfaq You're asking if you can use an unofficial version of an obsolete release with known defects in an application that you want to sell to customers. That's like a cook who's asking if he can make dinner for his guests using rotten food. – Bruno Lowagie Jul 09 '14 at 05:40
  • This question appears to be off-topic because it is about licensing terms. – Bruno Lowagie Jul 09 '14 at 05:40

2 Answers2

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If you comply to the terms of the LGPL license you are able to sell your software including the iText library. The LGPL license is a commercial friendly library - meaning that it has the advantage that you can use a library without changing your own (commercial) license.

You now may ask what complying to LGPL means? Basically you have to:

  • link iText dynamically, not statically mix it with the main application
  • use the unchanged library. If you change something you have to license that changes under LGPL, too and provide/supply the source code of it
  • you have to supply a version of the lgpl license to your customer
  • you have to mention your lgpl licensed component in e.g. a copyright area of your application

I am not a lawyer so this is no legal adivce... There have been others asking that question: here, here, and here.

If you should still use an old iText version (pre 5.X) is a totally different question.

Community
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Lonzak
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Buying a commercial license is mandatory as soon as you begin commercial activities including distribution of iText software inside your product or deploying it on a network without disclosing the source code of your own applications under the AGPL license.

Still if you have any doubts you can contact on below email id sales.isb@itextpdf.com

Shripad Jadhav
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    1. Wrong - since that was not the question. iText 2.1.7 is licensed under LGPL not AGPL. – Lonzak Jul 09 '14 at 09:07
  • In the strictest sense it's wrong, but in the broader sense it's right. It's wrong because the question is indeed about iText 2.1.7. It's right because iText 2.1.7 should no longer be used for both technical as well as legal reasons. – Bruno Lowagie Jul 10 '14 at 12:47
  • Hi, Mr. Lowagie, if it's enough to using iText 2.1.7 which is licensed under LGPL, in my opinion there is no legal reasons. The issues will be on technical when there is bugs or functionality issue. – esthrim Jul 23 '15 at 09:22