Is it okay to use AHK at work?

[Lulukul]

Hi
I am currently working in a semi-big company during my holiday from university. The work is like repetitive documenting of things. Since it's no longer for personal use and I'm sure my boss will ask about licening and such for using AHK. I've done my best trying to understand how it works and so far i can not find anything conclusive. I'm sure I can convince him either way but I really don't want to put him (or me for that matter) in a bad place.

They are not going to rebrand and sell ahk, just a matter of using the compiler to convert the script into keystokes.

Even if the the license cover companies for using it, is it a good idea? It might take people out of jobs. But on the other hand soulkilling repetetive jobs is not that great either. I do not belive the program will move upp and be used the company through out. My colleagues although intressted in tech, are kind of cave men when it comes to coding and scripting.

//Lulukul

[Gio]

Hello Lulukul.

Welcome to the AutoHotkey community forums.

You are free to use AutoHotkey to automate tasks at work. AutoHotkey is provided under the GNU - General Public License v2, which you can access here. The source code for the interpreter (the main executable) can also be found here.

[SOTE]

Hi
I am currently working in a semi-big company during my holiday from university. The work is like repetitive documenting of things. Since it's no longer for personal use and I'm sure my boss will ask about licening and such for using AHK. I've done my best trying to understand how it works and so far i can not find anything conclusive. I'm sure I can convince him either way but I really don't want to put him (or me for that matter) in a bad place.

They are not going to rebrand and sell ahk, just a matter of using the compiler to convert the script into keystokes.

Even if the the license cover companies for using it, is it a good idea? It might take people out of jobs. But on the other hand soulkilling repetetive jobs is not that great either. I do not belive the program will move upp and be used the company through out. My colleagues although intressted in tech, are kind of cave men when it comes to coding and scripting.

//Lulukul

Yeah, people use AutoHotkey at work or for their business. My understanding is that the GPL in no way prohibits or stops you using it at work, a school, or business. What the GPL is about is a person or company making changes to the AutoHoktey source code, executable, or dll and then trying to sell it specifically or distribute it as if their own or without giving credit to the original creators or access to the source code. If your company is not trying to specifically modify and then resell the AutoHotkey source code itself under some other brand name, then they should not be worried.

Your source code, the script you write, is your own or the property of your company and you can copyright it. You have the right to sell or license out your scripts.

Per creator of AutoHotkey, Chris Mallett,

Since they're under your copyright, you can license or sell the scripts, even if they're in compiled EXE form.

https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/4462-ok-to-sell/
(OK to sell?)

It is also my understanding, beyond just selling your script, you or your company can sell services involving AutoHotkey. For instance, if you are a freelancer that creates AutoHotkey script business solutions and wishes to be compensated, writing a book on how to use AutoHotkey, or for giving technical support for scripting solutions you created for a company. However, many people or companies are often not interested in going that far, but simply wish to use AutoHotkey to save time and automate tasks at home or their workplace, and that is clearly OK. That's the whole point of the software even existing.