Some questions about OpenMW!

General discussion regarding the OpenMW project.
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ezze
Posts: 513
Joined: 21 Nov 2013, 13:20

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by ezze »

Wait, wait... you can compile, study or use it. You cannot distribute the compiled form. You have to distribute the code form.
But perhaps it does not work. However, even if you cannot limit others, you still can distribute the compiled version for a small fee and the code freely.
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werdanith
Posts: 295
Joined: 26 Aug 2011, 16:18

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by werdanith »

ezze wrote:Wait, wait... you can compile, study or use it. You cannot distribute the compiled form. You have to distribute the code form.
If you are referring to the GPL, there is no restriction on distributing the compiled form, as long as you make the source code available.
ezze wrote:But perhaps it does not work. However, even if you cannot limit others, you still can distribute the compiled version for a small fee and the code freely.
True, you can even sell the source code itself if you want. Stallman himself made money in the early days by selling copies of emacs on magnetic tapes, which was Free Software, iirc. But you can't put any restrictions on what people do with it. Therefore in the internet age, you only get to sell it to one person, and he can then upload it to github.

The whole debate on capitalizing on OpenMW is of course moot.
ezze
Posts: 513
Joined: 21 Nov 2013, 13:20

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by ezze »

That was my point, I think the GPL won't stop you to put limitations in the compiled form. (I might be wrong however)
So you can try to use the lazyness of people and selling (for a small fee) the service of compilation. I know lots of people that would happily pay few dollars instead of learning how to use a compiler.


About the Internet age, your last sentence applies to all the software anyway. Just change "github" to "random bit torrent site." As I mentioned in the first message if people do not want to pay they won't.

Of course this is just a friendly chat that as nothing to do with OpenMW capitalization.
wheybags
Posts: 207
Joined: 21 Dec 2012, 19:41

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by wheybags »

ezze wrote:That was my point, I think the GPL won't stop you to put limitations in the compiled form. (I might be wrong however)
You cannot limit distribution, and have to also provide source for every binary, that's the whole point of the GPL.
This discussion is getting incredibly circular...
SquireNed
Posts: 403
Joined: 21 Dec 2013, 22:18

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by SquireNed »

GPL protects both source and compiled executables, IIRC. Either way, you can definitely charge a fee as part of giving out the executable files, but can't make it illegal to share them.
Chris
Posts: 1625
Joined: 04 Sep 2011, 08:33

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by Chris »

The entire point of the GPL is that the person receiving the software has all the same rights using it as the person giving it. I can't give you a program and say "You can't do XYZ with it", while I can (regardless if I do). This includes accessing the source, transforming (compiling) it, modifying (patching) it, and passing it along to a third party. Unlike BSD-style licenses, where I can take the code, add proprietary patches, sell binaries, and not let anyone else redistribute the program or see my custom changes (and anyone that tries to get my changes via decompiling my executable and gives it out can be nailed for copyright infringement since my changes are not under a license that allows redistribution; any project that sees my illegally-redistributed code can then be in a lot of trouble if they implement something similar).
ezze
Posts: 513
Joined: 21 Nov 2013, 13:20

Re: Some questions about OpenMW!

Post by ezze »

I double-checked, you are right. Sorry. I guess you can 'kindly ask', but not stop other to distribute the binaries.
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