Licensing

General discussion for players of Oolite.

Moderators: winston, another_commander

User avatar
Rxke
Retired Assassin
Retired Assassin
Posts: 1760
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 4:54 pm
Location: Belgium

Post by Rxke »

eddyp wrote:
me does the "this software is liberated software" dance :-)
:D
User avatar
reills
Deadly
Deadly
Posts: 244
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:41 pm
Location: Pawling, NY U.S.A.

Post by reills »

What does this all mean to us simple folk?
User avatar
ramon
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 346
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Tavistock
Contact:

Post by ramon »

reills wrote:
What does this all mean to us simple folk?
That's what I was going to say.
eddyp
Competent
Competent
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:44 pm

Post by eddyp »

reills wrote:
What does this all mean to us simple folk?
More endorsement from linux distros; probably, as a consequence, more visibility for the project and more possible developers attracted to the project.

That would translate into a better game for the user
User avatar
TGHC
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2157
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:16 pm
Location: Berkshire, UK

Post by TGHC »

eddyp wrote:
/me does the "this software is liberated software" dance :-)
As long as you don't start singing like a frog as well, that's fine :) :)
The Grey Haired Commander has spoken!
OK so I'm a PC user - "you know whats scary? Out of billions of sperm I was the fastest"
Brianetta
Competent
Competent
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:02 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Contact:

Post by Brianetta »

reills wrote:
What does this all mean to us simple folk?
It means it's now also free for commercial purposes. This means that it can be installed as a pastime in an internet café, for example. It also means you can box it and sell it in a shop (and keep all the profits) as long as you make the source available and let your customers know that the product they're buying is free.

That last bit might seem nonsensical, but that was Suse Linux's basic business model until Novell bought them!
PGP fingerprint: E66A 9D58 AA10 E967 41A6 474E E41D 10AE 082C F3ED
User avatar
Star Gazer
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 633
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 4:55 pm
Location: North Norfolk, UK, (Average Agricultural, Feudal States,Tech Level 8)

Post by Star Gazer »

Brianetta wrote:
... and let your customers know that the product they're buying is free.

That last bit might seem nonsensical, but...
...no buts, that is pretty damned illogical Mister Spock! :shock: :lol: :lol:
Very funny, Scotty, now beam down my clothes...
User avatar
davcefai
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 400
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:07 pm

Post by davcefai »

I thought I'd try to clarify the GPL for those who may not be that familiar with it.

The idea is to have free software, "free as in air" not necessarily "free as in beer". The licence permits (encourages) you to tinker with, and modify, the software. However if you distribute the modified software you must also distribute the code and give your recipients/customers/whatever the same rights that you received with your copy of the program.

This is essentially "cooperative computing". You can't make money by selling the program - it is available for free. You can make money by charging for support or for custom modifications.

Essentially that's it. A lot of FUD has been created about the GPL, mostly by people who either feel threatened by it or who want to use the code in their closed source applications.

So anybody who wants to modify and redistribute Oolite is free to do so. Under these conditions. You can even sell it if you find a stupid enough mark. However expect to land in deep trouble if you use any of the code in a closed source application. :twisted:
Brianetta
Competent
Competent
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:02 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Contact:

Post by Brianetta »

davcefai wrote:
You can't make money by selling the program - it is available for free.
I'd rephrase that to, "You can attempt to make money by selling the program, even though it is available for free." Put it on a CD and sell it if you want. To directly quote the GPL:
GNU wrote:
You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and
you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee.
So, slap Oolite onto CDs and sell it at your local car boot sale at £3 each. Make a killing. If the police show up after a "piracy" tip-off, show them the license. Sell some Linux stuff (and OpenOffice.org) while you're at it. It's a free world, when you have free software. (-:
PGP fingerprint: E66A 9D58 AA10 E967 41A6 474E E41D 10AE 082C F3ED
DerekHartley
Average
Average
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:31 am

Post by DerekHartley »

So, slap Oolite onto CDs and sell it at your local car boot sale at £3 each
I'd be surprised if people thought £3 was an acceptable price for sticking something free on a CD.
User avatar
JensAyton
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Posts: 6657
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:43 pm
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Post by JensAyton »

People might not want to buy it, but that’s irrelevant to the point that you’re allowed to try to sell it.
Brianetta
Competent
Competent
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:02 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Contact:

Post by Brianetta »

DerekHartley wrote:
So, slap Oolite onto CDs and sell it at your local car boot sale at £3 each
I'd be surprised if people thought £3 was an acceptable price for sticking something free on a CD.
Well, you don't have to make the fact that it's free obvious. A readme file on the CD should do the trick. They'll just assume that they're getting a pirated game for less than the market price.

Besides, there are plenty without internet who'd miss out otherwise, and that £3 covers you standing in a car boot sale all morning.
PGP fingerprint: E66A 9D58 AA10 E967 41A6 474E E41D 10AE 082C F3ED
User avatar
Diziet Sma
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 6311
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:20 pm
Location: Aboard the Pitviper S.E. "Blackwidow"

Re: Licensing

Post by Diziet Sma »

I've just noticed some conflicting information in the licensing announcement OP.

After stating in the opening paragraph that resources are licensed under the CC-by-nc-sa-3, all further mentions of this license refer to the CC-by-nc-sa-2. This ought to be updated..
Most games have some sort of paddling-pool-and-water-wings beginning to ease you in: Oolite takes the rather more Darwinian approach of heaving you straight into the ocean, often with a brick or two in your pockets for luck. ~ Disembodied
User avatar
JensAyton
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Posts: 6657
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:43 pm
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Licensing

Post by JensAyton »

Diziet Sma wrote:
I've just noticed some conflicting information in the licensing announcement OP.

After stating in the opening paragraph that resources are licensed under the CC-by-nc-sa-3, all further mentions of this license refer to the CC-by-nc-sa-2. This ought to be updated..
Read it again. It’s CC-by-nc-sa-2 for Oolite 1.65, and CC-by-nc-sa-3 for subsequent releases.
User avatar
Diziet Sma
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 6311
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:20 pm
Location: Aboard the Pitviper S.E. "Blackwidow"

Re: Licensing

Post by Diziet Sma »

Guess I need new glasses.. :lol:

Again. <sigh>
Most games have some sort of paddling-pool-and-water-wings beginning to ease you in: Oolite takes the rather more Darwinian approach of heaving you straight into the ocean, often with a brick or two in your pockets for luck. ~ Disembodied
Post Reply