FvF Source Code and conditions of the GPL
Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:32 pm
Since Quake is officially now under the GNU General Public License, I have been doing some research in regards to the Future vs. Fantasy mod.
After extensively combing over the wording of the GPL license found at
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html
I can see what would result to be a number of potential violations. I'm going to ask nicely a few more times for the source code to the FvF 2.09 available for download (read: NOT the version played on the server as that is not available for download) before sending an email to [email protected].
Let's examine the facts.
* Does the distribution contain a copy of the License?
No.
* Does it clearly state which software is covered by the License? Does it say anything misleading, perhaps giving the impression that something is covered by the License when in fact it is not?
No information given in the distribution.
* Is source code included in the distribution?
No.
* Is a written offer for source code included with a distribution of just binaries?
No offer supplied. Only compiled binaries and game assets.
So, while there may be a loophole that allows for withholding the source code for the modifications on the server, this loophole does not in fact cover the version of FvF 2.09 available for download on http://fvfonline.com/
Obviously the person to contact would be the people at Freeform Interactive. However as any user can plainly see, the website is now defunct http://www.freeforminteractive.com/
Making Gunter the sole gatekeeper of the FvF source code.
Personally I would simply like to examine the sources for pedagogical gain in regards to QuakeC. Maybe others would have plans to bork the sources to hell and completely bastardize FvF, but frankly that doesn't matter and is the preogative of the end user and within their rights afforded under the GPL.
...This also isn't even to mention how many copyright infringements are occuring within the dance loops alone.
The choice is simple: offer up the sources. If this does not happen within a reasonable amount of time, these various infringements will be made public, leading to a whole mess of potential problems.
I would not like to see this happen, but I may have no choice. Quake is protected under the GPL and as a user of free software I choose to exercise my rights afforded under this license, whether others choose to or not.
After extensively combing over the wording of the GPL license found at
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html
I can see what would result to be a number of potential violations. I'm going to ask nicely a few more times for the source code to the FvF 2.09 available for download (read: NOT the version played on the server as that is not available for download) before sending an email to [email protected].
Let's examine the facts.
* Does the distribution contain a copy of the License?
No.
* Does it clearly state which software is covered by the License? Does it say anything misleading, perhaps giving the impression that something is covered by the License when in fact it is not?
No information given in the distribution.
* Is source code included in the distribution?
No.
* Is a written offer for source code included with a distribution of just binaries?
No offer supplied. Only compiled binaries and game assets.
So, while there may be a loophole that allows for withholding the source code for the modifications on the server, this loophole does not in fact cover the version of FvF 2.09 available for download on http://fvfonline.com/
Obviously the person to contact would be the people at Freeform Interactive. However as any user can plainly see, the website is now defunct http://www.freeforminteractive.com/
Making Gunter the sole gatekeeper of the FvF source code.
Personally I would simply like to examine the sources for pedagogical gain in regards to QuakeC. Maybe others would have plans to bork the sources to hell and completely bastardize FvF, but frankly that doesn't matter and is the preogative of the end user and within their rights afforded under the GPL.
...This also isn't even to mention how many copyright infringements are occuring within the dance loops alone.
The choice is simple: offer up the sources. If this does not happen within a reasonable amount of time, these various infringements will be made public, leading to a whole mess of potential problems.
I would not like to see this happen, but I may have no choice. Quake is protected under the GPL and as a user of free software I choose to exercise my rights afforded under this license, whether others choose to or not.