jaywalker_eidos wrote:
3. Following exception to the GPL is granted:
Linking Warzone 2100 statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on Warzone 2100. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination.
In addition, as a special exception, the copyright holders of Warzone 2100 give you permission to combine Warzone 2100 with code included in the standard release of libraries that are accessible, redistributable and linkable free of charge. You may copy and distribute such a system following the terms of the GNU GPL for Warzone 2100 and the licenses of the other code concerned.
Note that people who make modified versions of Warzone 2100 are not obligated to grant this special exception for their modified versions; it is their choice whether to do so. The GNU General Public License gives permission to release a modified version without this exception; this exception also makes it possible to release a modified version which carries forward this exception.
This is *very* bad news, I don't know why everyone is happy about this.
This pretty much means that if you separate out the code to a library, then you don't have to share the source code to that library.
Which means, if I was to say separate the sound, graphics, AI, and whatever else, and make it so only a .dll or library is made of those that 'hooks' into the original code, that all that work was done on the new additions basically becomes my property.
Which means that nobody can ever fix/change/modify it, except the original author.
Which then means that the whole idea of wanting warzone to survive is out the door, and they get all the original benefits of warzone being open source, but now, they get to close source whatever parts they want.
Folks, this exception is *very* bad news, and I am not sure how it got put in.
For what it is worth, I know / have been working on /with this project for awhile now. (Basically since the project is 100% open source)
I also know / have talked to other warzone projects. (Which I have NOT joined, since that project is NOT open to the public as of the time I write this.)
What I say comes from the simple fact that it goes against the grain of the project being GPL in the first place.
There should have been a bit more communications open to the public about these changes, and a period to 'object' about the said changes.
It just deeply saddens me to see this exception added, it is just a way for greedy developers to gain access to all the hard work of the original source code, use it to their advantage then turn their noses to the community without also releasing the code changes that they have made.
Warzone will just become a shell, and it would be impossible for you to continue to develop it.
Who would want to continue development from a empty shell ? Nobody would, and they would have to start from scratch again.
That isn't good for the community at all.
It is a big win for them, and a big loss for the rest of us.
I am at a loss how this could have been agreed upon so quickly, without time for others to look at the proposed changes.
--Buginator : freelancer at large.