Et-gpl et-sdk etpub

Shownie · 2012-02-28 16:15:41 UTC

What should a mod be based on and can I use codes from ETPUB in ET-GPL?

What difference is there between ET-GPL and ET-SDK?

Thanks in advanced.

Indloon · 2012-02-28 17:20:41 UTC

Seems you have misunderstood the names
SDK is a Software development kit,of curse with licence.
GPL is General Public License.

Shownie · 2012-02-28 17:42:17 UTC

Well I know the means of words, but what does it makes a different when creating a mod?

stealth6 · 2012-02-28 18:03:27 UTC

[QUOTE=Shownie;394307]What should a mod be based on and can I use codes from ETPUB in ET-GPL?

What difference is there between ET-GPL and ET-SDK?

Thanks in advanced. :)[/QUOTE]

what should a mod be based on is entirely up to you. Most people branch off ETpub since it already has so many features. Can you use from ETpub? Pretty sure you can.

http://www.splashdamage.com/forums/showthread.php/30786-W-ETplus
That might be an interesting mod to branch off. (Just spent 20 minutes trying to find that topic, dam you NM for changing you name! :D)

Runeforce · 2012-02-28 19:03:43 UTC

ET-GPL is the entire source release under permissive (copyleft) license. ET-SDK is a subset of the source, released under a restrictive SDK license( it might be “open” source, but it is not free software!) Legally speaking the two licenses are not compatible. You may not mix code from from one license with a code in another license, you have to keep them seperate. (This is specific for the two licenses in question, in relation to each-other.) The question remains open on whether you are allowed to rip code not made by SD or ID (aka modders, the incident with NQ suggests this not illigal) under the ET-SDK license. And then you could relicense that code under the GPL license. But the real question remains whether you are allowed to dettach the ET-SDK license from code released by modders under that license. This is questionable! The 100% legal way to resolve this is to either rewrite the code, or ask the original author to release it under the GPL.

(Note that you are allowed to use etpub as a mod running on the gpl’ed version of the engine. You are just not allowed to mix code!*)

The GPL does not allow the use of non-free code and you are prohibited from making free code non-free.

Shownie · 2012-02-29 13:51:11 UTC

So if I understand this correctly. I can base the mod on the ET-GPL (since I want it to be open for everyone) and use codes from ETPUB?

Or I should base the mod on ET-SDK and use codes from ETPUB and release it under GPL?

Which suits best?

ailmanki · 2012-02-29 14:28:41 UTC

Makes me curious, how was NoQuarter able to use ETPub as base and change license?

Shownie · 2012-03-01 13:18:08 UTC

Can anyone with more experience reply to this topic. Because I kinda need a better answer

THANKS!

Runeforce · 2012-03-01 15:35:39 UTC

(I am assuming that detaching the SDK license is not allowed.)

[QUOTE=Shownie;394372]So if I understand this correctly. I can base the mod on the ET-GPL (since I want it to be open for everyone) and use codes from ETPUB?[/QUOTE] You are allowed to do this, as long as you don’t mix code from ETPUB into ET-GPL, and vice-versa.

[QUOTE=Shownie;394372]Or I should base the mod on ET-SDK and use codes from ETPUB and release it under GPL?[/QUOTE] The GPL prohibits you from releasing non-free code as free code (unless you are the original author, you don’t have the right to decide if the code should be free.) If you’d want to go this way, you would have to rewrite the SDK (not the biggest of problems, since the same files has been released as GPL) and Etpub (the information I could find says it’s under the SDK license.)

To sum up, the question on mixing code is depending on whether you are allowed to detach the SDK license from works released under this license. If NQ did it (if they indeed detached the license), it might be legal? (In my oppinion this would border on copyright violation, but if the license negates this, then no problem!)

A second (and more qualified) opinion would not hurt!

Shownie · 2012-03-01 16:05:31 UTC

Tell me what you mean by mixing codes?

Let us say I use the GPL source, and want to use the killingspree code from ETPUB, it can be done YES or NO?

Sorry for beeing hard. But I really need some solid answers.

Thanks!

Runeforce · 2012-03-01 16:11:40 UTC

As long as you use etpub as a mod and modify the code in the mod, you are allowed YES. You are also allowed to implement this behavior in the gpl’ed version, by getting inspiration from etpub (a rewrite.) But you are NOT allowed to copy-paste (or in any other way directly use) code from etpub in et-gpl code, and vice versa (unless you are allowed to detach the SDK license, which I doubt, or you originally wrote the behavior from etpub that you want to implement in et-gpl, or get the authors written permission.)

The reason is that the GPL and the SDK licenses are incompatible! The GPL only allows use of Free Software. The SDK license is open source, but NOT Free Software (and incompatible with Free Software.)

As mentioned before, you ARE allowed to run etpub as a mod on the GPL’ed version of the engine!

Shownie · 2012-03-01 16:20:19 UTC

Sorry. When you say “Copy Paste” and “Rewrite”. Do you mean I can have ETPUB Source in one window and the GPL in one and then just Write the same code?

This is f-ing on my nerves.

Mateos · 2012-03-01 17:01:47 UTC

If in ETPub it is “Code”, you can’t write “Code” but “code which means Code but isn’t written like this”.

So I guess you need skills to rewrite it a different way.

Runeforce · 2012-03-01 17:02:51 UTC

Nice one Mateos, good way of explaining it.

Shownie · 2012-03-01 17:34:34 UTC

Then basicly, the best way to proceed is by use ETPUB to base mod on. Or find someone that can rewrite.

Thanks for answer!

Runeforce · 2012-03-01 17:44:13 UTC

Just be aware, if you work under the SDK license, everyone can take your mod and they don’t have to credit you. They can also close (their version of) the source (and so can you) and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Using the GPL you will have to credit the authors in derivative works, and it’s impossible to close the source!

Shownie · 2012-03-01 17:48:22 UTC

I will not base it on ET-SDK. The project should remain open for everyone. I just don’t see the point in having a closed project for a game like this. The game is free and everyone should be able to contribute to the best needs.

There are alot of good mods out there today, but none of them are perfect, they have all pros and cons. Imgaine the biggest developers from these mods went together on a project based on the community needs. What a perfect mod. Maybe it would satisfiy everyones needs, but everything or at least the major part can be a cvar!

See you soon, thanks!

Runeforce · 2012-03-01 17:55:49 UTC

If you base your mod on etpub (by adding to or modifying the etpub mod instead of rewritting it, as discussed earlier) you are working under the SDK license!

Shownie · 2012-03-01 20:57:57 UTC

This is insane…

For the best matter, I think I go for the GPL source. Since the main idea is to let everyone contribute. Thanks again for explaining!

Runeforce · 2012-03-01 22:53:43 UTC

While, at first glance, there seems to be few practical concerns with Open Source software, there are legal and ethical concerns! (As the SDK license demonstrates!)

+1

And +1 for asking the right questions!