[games sig] Downloader for shareware data files for gpl engines such as vavoom

[Hans de Goede]

Bill Nottingham wrote:
> Hans de Goede (j.w.r.degoede at hhs.nl) said: 
>>> Hans de Goede (j.w.r.degoede at hhs.nl) said: 
>>>> I see no problem here, there is however a restriction on commercial Use, 
>>>> but there are no restrictions on redistribution. which is all that is 
>>>> required for binary blobs (firmware, or am I missing something?).
>>> Non-commercial-use-only is *not* ok for Extras.
> ...
>> Note we're talking about content (gamedata) not code here, the packaging 
>> guideline specifically state:
>> "Shareware applications are not Open Source code, and are not acceptable 
>> for Fedora.
> 
> Yes, but...
> 
>> - Explicit permission is given by the owner to freely distribute without 
>> restrictions (this permission must be included, in "writing", with the 
>> files in the packaging)
> 
> without restrictions != non-commercial use only. Sorry I was that
> terse.
> 

It says "to freely distribute" not to freely use but to freely 
distribute, if you really want to go this way you might as well scrap 
the whole binary firmware/content exception stuff since almost no binary 
firmware license will allow you to use it unrerstricted, usually no 
other use then intended is allowed and even if other then intended use 
is allowed, so if say use without the actual hardware was allowed then 
licenses usually still prohibit reverse engineering etc.

>> Now sharware data files clearly meet all of the above listed 
>> Requirements for firmware without question except for:
>> "Explicit permission is given by the owner to freely distribute without 
>> restrictions (this permission must be included, in "writing", with the 
>> files in the packaging)"
>>
>> Thus that is imho what should be discussed, does the quake shareware 
>> license I presented allow free distributing without restriction?
>>
>> Now quoting the relevant part from the license again:
>> "Permitted Distribution. So long as this Agreement accompanies the 
>> Software at all times, ID grants to Providers the limited right to 
>> distribute, free of charge, except normal access fees, and by electronic 
>> means only, the Software; provided, however, the Software must be so 
>> electronically distributed only in a compressed format."
>>
>> So does this allow free distributing? AFAIK Yes it does (IANAL)
>> Is this without restrictions? Well clearly no, the following 
>> restrictions are made:
>> -distribution must be free of charge, except normal access fees
>> -by electronic means only
>> -distributed only in a compressed format
> 
> Right now we structure things so people can redistribute
> any CDs of Core or Extras that they want, or freely *build
> OSes on top of them*.
> 

How does this stop redistribution on CD, its normal access fees only, 
electronic and still an rpm thus compressed or ... ?

> Anything that would require 'oh, you can't include this package
> XXX in something you base on Fedora' isn't really feasible.
> 

This isn't really true actually there has been discussion in the past 
about allowing non-commercial (scientific) software into FE and although 
it was never allowed, it was never denied either afaik this decision 
still has to be made in the mean time it seems everyone is acting as if 
this was denied.

Also in the past it has been discussed wether we actually want to cater 
CD creation again no decision was made.

Regards,

Hans