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RE: [Bug-gnubg] Re: Using GNU engine for NetGammon cyber players
From: |
macherius |
Subject: |
RE: [Bug-gnubg] Re: Using GNU engine for NetGammon cyber players |
Date: |
Wed, 9 Feb 2005 13:22:28 +0100 |
IANAL^3, and here are my 0.02.
First I think it is a fair act of Pierre to ask the question at all, it
would not have been required by the GPL.
Second, I think a compensation of whatever kind to the long time gnubg
hackers is just a matter of decency and manners. However, that's fully
outside the GPL, which deals with software licensing and not with people.
Still, a BG-playing bot on a gameserver is not unlike a machine printing
money.
Thirdly, if I had to summarize the GPL as briefly as possible, it would be:
"Do whatever you like, but the sources are belong to us".
So rather than money Pierre could offer code. The borderline is where GnuBG
ends and the bot begins: at the interface level. So if netgammon worked in
that area, it should give back the code for inclusion into the CVS.
Ingo
> -----Original Message-----
> From: address@hidden
> [mailto:address@hidden On Behalf
> Of Nis Jorgensen
> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 12:45 PM
> To: Øystein Johansen
> Cc: Pierre Labbé; gnubg (E-mail)
> Subject: Re: [Bug-gnubg] Re: Using GNU engine for NetGammon
> cyber players
>
>
> Øystein Johansen wrote:
> > Hello Pierre!
> >
> > Thanks for your request. I think the license question have
> been raised
> > before, many many years ago when GamesGrid wanted to create
> bots for
> > their service.
> >
> > IANAL, but I believe using calculations and results from a GPLed
> > program inside a commercial product should be legal
> according to the
> > GPL, so I guess it would be ok from a GPL viewpoint.
>
> IA also NAL, but I think it is pretty clear that the GPL
> allows this. As long as NetGammon is not going to distribute
> the software, they can more or less do whatever they like with it.
>
> This however illuminates to me what seems to be a big problem
> with the GPL: you don't have to distribute the source code if
> you don't distribute the executable. Basically you can give
> people access to a copy running on one of your machines
> through a web interface, terminal or other interface -
> without having to publicize any modifications or other
> derivative works (including larger works containing parts of
> the GPL-covered program). This seems to go against the spirit
> of the GPL.
>
> Please note that I do not believe that NetGammon using gnubg
> for the indicated purpose is against the spirit of the GPL. I
> do believe that NetGammon is morally (but not legally)
> obliged to contribute any modifications back to the project.
>
> > The project does not receive ant fees from GamesGrid or
> Paul Magriel
> > either the the service they are providing, so I guess we
> can't accept
> > a fee from you either. The project doesn't have any economy at all,
> > and all contributions are done by volunteers. It has been
> discussed if
> > we should have some kind of economy/found for the project but I
> > believe we have partly rejected it since it may lead to internal
> > arguments.
> >
> > I suggest, as a fair compensation for usage of GNU
> backgammon at your
> > gaming server, that the GNU Backgammon developers and maintainers
> > receive a free lifetime membership at your server. I
> addition a nice
> > positive description of the GNU Backgammon project with a link to
> > www.gnubg.org at your web pages. Does that sound fair?
>
> Since the GPL gives NetGammon the RIGHT to use the program, I
> don't think they should feel in any way obliged to give
> anything to the developers, more than normal users do. So in
> short I think the above suggestion is unfair (although
> NetGammon are of course free to follow it).
>
> /Nis
>
>
>
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