Software Licensing
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I need help on this one. The GNU GPL protects open source software. But it is not what I need. I need an open source, license, where we control the execution of the program. We have developed our own "Language" that works on almost all browsers. It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Just like WarCraft and StarCraft. We want to open the source code up, but only for Improvements on the engine. -We will allow free distrobution of all source code. -We will allow everyone to use the code, on their severs to test new mods. -Using CVS we will implement good mods into the latest version of the engine. We will not chage to play games, or to write them, with our web based game creator. What we don't want is people using the software to run games from any other servers but ours. How do we protect ourselves? Can we make up our own License? How would one do that if so? I could really use some help here. :confused:
LOSTTWARE.com wrote: It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Bill? Is that you again? :-D Yes, even I am blogging now!
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LOSTTWARE.com wrote: It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Bill? Is that you again? :-D Yes, even I am blogging now!
Can't be. The rhetoric is too humble, and not enough capitals! Iain.
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I need help on this one. The GNU GPL protects open source software. But it is not what I need. I need an open source, license, where we control the execution of the program. We have developed our own "Language" that works on almost all browsers. It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Just like WarCraft and StarCraft. We want to open the source code up, but only for Improvements on the engine. -We will allow free distrobution of all source code. -We will allow everyone to use the code, on their severs to test new mods. -Using CVS we will implement good mods into the latest version of the engine. We will not chage to play games, or to write them, with our web based game creator. What we don't want is people using the software to run games from any other servers but ours. How do we protect ourselves? Can we make up our own License? How would one do that if so? I could really use some help here. :confused:
You can write any licence you like, allowing anything you want. What you can't do, is force people to obey it. The closest you could get IMO is to release part of the code, and make it rely on a dll which makes sure that the code is running on your server. Of course, as soon as you give out source code, such a scheme is pretty easy to circumvent. Christian I have drunk the cool-aid and found it wan and bitter. - Chris Maunder
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You can write any licence you like, allowing anything you want. What you can't do, is force people to obey it. The closest you could get IMO is to release part of the code, and make it rely on a dll which makes sure that the code is running on your server. Of course, as soon as you give out source code, such a scheme is pretty easy to circumvent. Christian I have drunk the cool-aid and found it wan and bitter. - Chris Maunder
Exactly what I thought. Another alternative would be hosting some scripting engine and allowing people to create games by using this scripting engine. This way, no server source would be opened, only the game source. Yes, even I am blogging now!
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Can't be. The rhetoric is too humble, and not enough capitals! Iain.
I'm not dumb, but I didn't understand what you are saying. Syphic.com Get ready, a new revolution of game play is comming. Multiplayer 8 users? Screw that, try 60,000 users.
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Exactly what I thought. Another alternative would be hosting some scripting engine and allowing people to create games by using this scripting engine. This way, no server source would be opened, only the game source. Yes, even I am blogging now!
That is already in effect (just in beta). But, what if we wanted the online 3d engine to be opensource? For say, a person to develop the ability to have streaming audio for sound effects? I could retain an patent I guess, then our license would be inforcable... But what other ways are there of protecting ourselves. More importantly, how do you make a license, and how do you make it legit? Syphic.com Get ready, a new revolution of game play is comming. Multiplayer 8 users? Screw that, try 60,000 users.
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I'm not dumb, but I didn't understand what you are saying. Syphic.com Get ready, a new revolution of game play is comming. Multiplayer 8 users? Screw that, try 60,000 users.
LOSTTWARE.com wrote: I'm not dumb, but I didn't understand what you are saying. Bill Sergio is someone that bothered most of us here at codeproject a few years back. Matt Newman
What is your malfunction? - Dangeresque, too?
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LOSTTWARE.com wrote: It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Bill? Is that you again? :-D Yes, even I am blogging now!
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And it's INSTALLED ON 10,000,000 COMPUTERS from 100 DIFFERENT COMPANIES! Yes, even I am blogging now!
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I guess we shall see then shall we. ;) P.S. Oh, by the way, It's already running, we are just protecting ourselves before we release it. ;P Syphic.com Get ready, a new revolution of game play is comming. Multiplayer 8 users? Screw that, try 60,000 users.
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I need help on this one. The GNU GPL protects open source software. But it is not what I need. I need an open source, license, where we control the execution of the program. We have developed our own "Language" that works on almost all browsers. It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Just like WarCraft and StarCraft. We want to open the source code up, but only for Improvements on the engine. -We will allow free distrobution of all source code. -We will allow everyone to use the code, on their severs to test new mods. -Using CVS we will implement good mods into the latest version of the engine. We will not chage to play games, or to write them, with our web based game creator. What we don't want is people using the software to run games from any other servers but ours. How do we protect ourselves? Can we make up our own License? How would one do that if so? I could really use some help here. :confused:
Short answer: talk to a lawyer. In reality, it is difficult to make up software licenses becuase a lot of them are of questionable legality and could be struck down by courts. For instance, IIRC - (meaning I could be completely wrong with this story, but I sem to recall it) I think a while back, Microsoft published some code dealing with Kerberos and Windows 2000 authentication. They put it on their website for anyone to get at, but to download it you had to click "OK" to a strange agreement saying you can't actually use the code. :confused: That was struck down. There are other ways of "ensuring" people only use your server. Example, make your server the best, so everyone will want to use your server. :cool: "Fish and guests stink in three days." - Benjamin Franlkin
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That is already in effect (just in beta). But, what if we wanted the online 3d engine to be opensource? For say, a person to develop the ability to have streaming audio for sound effects? I could retain an patent I guess, then our license would be inforcable... But what other ways are there of protecting ourselves. More importantly, how do you make a license, and how do you make it legit? Syphic.com Get ready, a new revolution of game play is comming. Multiplayer 8 users? Screw that, try 60,000 users.
You do what any sane person in your situation would do: hire a copyright and / or patent law firm and have them sort it out for you. It will cost you a fortune but if you truly have something there then it's money well spent. That's advice from hard-won experience.
An election is nothing more than the advanced auction of stolen goods. - Ambrose Bierce -
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I need help on this one. The GNU GPL protects open source software. But it is not what I need. I need an open source, license, where we control the execution of the program. We have developed our own "Language" that works on almost all browsers. It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Just like WarCraft and StarCraft. We want to open the source code up, but only for Improvements on the engine. -We will allow free distrobution of all source code. -We will allow everyone to use the code, on their severs to test new mods. -Using CVS we will implement good mods into the latest version of the engine. We will not chage to play games, or to write them, with our web based game creator. What we don't want is people using the software to run games from any other servers but ours. How do we protect ourselves? Can we make up our own License? How would one do that if so? I could really use some help here. :confused:
LOSTTWARE.com wrote:
What we don't want is people using the software to run games from any other servers but ours.
If you release it with this limitation, it's not Open Source. Of course you are free to license your program with any conditions you want, just don't use misleading terminology to describe your license. -
I'm not dumb, but I didn't understand what you are saying. Syphic.com Get ready, a new revolution of game play is comming. Multiplayer 8 users? Screw that, try 60,000 users.
LOSTTWARE.com wrote: I'm not dumb, but I didn't understand what you are saying. You'll understand most of the jokes if you read this[^] post... Yes, even I am blogging now!
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I need help on this one. The GNU GPL protects open source software. But it is not what I need. I need an open source, license, where we control the execution of the program. We have developed our own "Language" that works on almost all browsers. It allowed us to create the first ever, Real time statagy, 100% Browswer Based, Appletless, Zero Downloads required, 3d game engine. Just like WarCraft and StarCraft. We want to open the source code up, but only for Improvements on the engine. -We will allow free distrobution of all source code. -We will allow everyone to use the code, on their severs to test new mods. -Using CVS we will implement good mods into the latest version of the engine. We will not chage to play games, or to write them, with our web based game creator. What we don't want is people using the software to run games from any other servers but ours. How do we protect ourselves? Can we make up our own License? How would one do that if so? I could really use some help here. :confused:
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everyone knows that the Servers on Mars (cold and a little rusty) are for the Boys and Servers on Venus (hot and very steamy) are for the Ladies...;) Steve