Phatose on 26/8/2010 at 00:48
And you can replace Thief with a different game. It ain't thief...but it ain't my waterbed, either.
Do you actually believe switching over to "You created it, but you don't own it, and if you distribute it even once you have to give out the source code and give everyone else the right to distribute it to, thus preventing you from ever getting compensation for your creation" is fixing the problem?
You want to have something to let you keep using your software if the system changes. Fine, I can understand that. But the GPL goes way, way, way beyond 'fixing' your problem.
EDIT:
And actually, there are licenses out there that would allow you to fix your problem without requiring the devs of the software give away the farm. And Stallman HATES them. This is not just about having access to the source code - not to him. "FOSS" is not the same as open source.
lost_soul on 26/8/2010 at 01:08
No, if I had it my way, the developers would sell me the source code *along* with the game. They could prevent another company from grabbing the code and using it in their project through restrictive licensing. This way, the buying public doesn't get shafted, and the developers still make a buck. This is similar to what id Software does when their games are a few years old. You can't take the Quake 3 engine and use it to make a closed, proprietary game, but you can fix bugs in it and improve things.
Phatose on 26/8/2010 at 02:14
OK, then what you're talking about isn't the GPL, isn't FOSS, and isn't what Stallman is pimping.
Assidragon on 26/8/2010 at 04:52
Quote Posted by lost_soul
Most people are happy with Windows XP. We are happy with it because it has a good audio system, including EAX support and it doesn't require 1 GB of memory just to browse the web.
Yeah, do keep spouting this nonsense. It's not like Windows 7 is faster and more useful all around, people should definiately keep using Windows XP. And actually doesn't use so much more memory, but don't let the facts get in your way.
Vista/Windows 7 also has EAX support, but the underlying system got changed (from DirectSound to AudioX) so some things need rewriting. Go ahead cry me a river. Also don't forget Glide. A lot of perfectly good games use Glide. We should be up in arms for Glide too, no technology should be ever phased out period :mad:
Aaaaaaaaaanyway, windows centered rants aside. Keeping everything open sourced would mean every programmer would have to work for, well, essentially free. Since you know, you can just copy whichever app/neat trick you need for free and call it a day. Sure, you could charge for the services like providing support, but that's about it. I think suddenly a lot people would decide to switch jobs if that was the case.
Matthew on 26/8/2010 at 09:13
Quote Posted by lost_soul
maybe even lacking the ability to change the desktop background.
If you buy Windows 7 Starter, you deserve all you get. Which is not much, admittedly.
lost_soul on 26/8/2010 at 13:54
right... Tell that to the victims who buy a netbook which is pre-loaded with starter, all the wile being told it is an "upgrade" to XP.
@Assidragon, Last time I checked there are plenty of Glide wrappers around that will work on any modern video card. That does not apply to EAX. The only way to get EAX on Vista/7 is to buy a shiny new card that has a software emulator for EAX from the manufacturer, like Creative. That means my on-board RealTek HD won't do EAX in Vista, but it happily does it on the cheap-o $259 XP netbook. What an upgrade indeed.
Matthew on 26/8/2010 at 14:18
I definitely would tell them - if you buy anything called a 'Starter' version and don't care to check what the difference is between that and the other versions, you have very little to complain about.
I'm off to change my desktop background, ttyl.
NoMis on 26/8/2010 at 14:38
Find me a Glide wrapper that actually works for Archimedean Dynasty and I congratulate you.
I know the removal of the HAL in DSound 3D sucks, but apart from that I actually like Vista/7. They offer a lot of improvments in Security an Usability over XP.
Alchemy solves this, so why should I care?
As a software developer I prefer the current system of production. And the developers dont just take your money and run. Or they better don't because it might be the last time they sold you something.
lost_soul on 26/8/2010 at 21:02
That is a good point. While it applies to operating systems (which people heavily rely on), it doesn't apply to games. After a year, that shiny new game release is yesterday's news and it is in the bargain bin. After 5+ years, the developer simply stops updating it, even if issues are found.
If Microsoft tried to "take the money and run" for example, people would probably switch to a Mac, or some other system that received patches. Nobody would upgrade to Windows 8. Gamers though, are a different group. Most of them play a game once or twice and then move on to whatever is currently hot.
Glimpse on 26/8/2010 at 23:05
Thought I'd just add this in, after talk in previous posts of NVidia and ATI cards becoming useless after a few years through lack of support. AMD have released source code for 2d/3d drivers for the 5000 series cards.
(
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=amd_evergreen_3d&num=1)
Be interesting to see if anything good comes of this.
