QT software license

[bobmc_rmm]

There are posted jobs that require the use of QT software.  I don't think license issues are being considered.  Briefly, QT is only free for work on free-and-opensource software in which the code has a GPL license.

There is some risk in using QT and we should consider ethics as well

[prestonhunter]

Robert, I am not sure what your question or concern is. This is not really an Upwork issue.

QT is real. There are clients who want to hire QT professionals. Of course proper licensing is necessary, but that is a matter for the freelancers and clients. Upwork facilitates communications between clients and freelancers. It is not a license administrator for QT or any other software...

...Just as it does not administer medical licenses or licenses to practice law, but it allows doctors and lawyers to hire people here or to work as freelancers...

...Just as it allows freelancers to offer services creating Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, but it is not the originator or administrator of Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Office licenses,

There is nothing unique about QT.

[bobmc_rmm]

Since my post was to "Programmers and Developers" it was intended to get their attention. Not a complaint about Upwork.

QT evolved along with Linux where it was used to create KDE which is still being released in various distros. QT is free for that purpose. A Linux distro may include non-free libraries and drivers but QT is not used to maintain them.

Visual Studio can be used by a freelancer as permitted by Microsoft. However, QT code developed for an Upwork client contract requires a commercial license. The code belongs to the client, it is not free or GPL compliant.

>>There is nothing unique about QT....

It is technically unique but that does not matter since this is about ethics and freelancers need to be concerned about ethics.  The first step is awareness.