Author Topic: Items and logging the chat. (Read 5354 times)

figgy · « **Reply #15 on:** July 06, 2008, 04:45:37 am »

Lisa, when you release something under a license it adheres the portions within as far as I was aware with most developed projects. If it's not GPL'd, why include the license file?

Additionally, I'm not asking for the database or it's information within, I am asking for the root PHP code that is paired with the bot "module" itself for the purposes of creating our own databases at will as a function of the application release. It wasn't a matter of concern to request the actual data itself as I would never want to violate a privacy constraint through someone elses submitted data without a prior notification and agreement with them.

That being said, my initial point and concern still stands distributed "within the source" is still part of the project. Granted I have seen other modules that are released seperately within their own licensing constraints.

Also, the official site itself on google code states this is a GPLv2 release:
"Bebot Hyborian is distributed under its original GPL v2 license. This means in short that you are allowed to modify and release updates to the bot as long as you credit the original contributors. If you release anything using a modified version of this bot you have to release the complete source code of your modified bot under a GPL v2 license aswell."

Vhab · « **Reply #16 on:** July 06, 2008, 10:50:53 am »

Having released projects under GPL myself, I can state you misunderstood GPL.
I'll try to keep this simple with a few examples.

It applies to a single package that has been released.
If you release binaries and related resource files under GPL, you need to make the source available (with a GPL notice)
Also, you can't release non-GPL stuff in the same package as GPL stuff. However, you can release them as separate packages and require the user to combine them.

Now when it comes to Noer's database. He didn't release the source, he didn't release the binaries. Infact, all he did was make it available through a web service.
Even if the source for that service was GPL he's still not obligated to release till he distributes a binary version (or the source ofcourse, but that's a given).
Infact, Noer could state the data the service feeds is available under GPL and still legally keep the source of the service closed-source.

What GPL essentially does is prevent people from releasing binaries without source and restrict all further projects derived upon it to GPL (or compatible license).
Do note, that as long as an application using GPL code is not released, the author has no obligation to release their source code. For example, several MMO's are known to use GPL libraries in their server software.

You're trying to stretch GPL way too far and you're making yourself look like an ass in the process.

Alreadythere · « **Reply #17 on:** July 06, 2008, 11:01:16 am »

BeBot itself is under GPL2. Noer is adhering to those rules, and everything used directly by his AoC version is published.

The items module is using an external web service. Nowhere in the GPL2 is any requirement that external services used by GPL2 software have to be published too.

If you don't like using a service you know nothing about and don't trust Noer enough to run a community friendly service feel free to disable the module or stop using the bot. If you got some privacy issues about Noer saving IPs and/or botnames for some statistics (and perhaps due to legal requirements) it's the same.

Every central service offered to the AoC community will run into the same problem: do we trust the one offering the service? AO services have the same problem, but nobody who offered a service there has broken faith as far as I know.

To answer your point about a copy of the database: Noer has published the information transmitted. Simply go and create a table using those information to create your local copy, and then adapt your private items module to use it. Done.

Closing this topic, it has gone too far from the original discussion.

PS: I wrote this while Vhab was writing his post.

Khalem · « **Reply #18 on:** July 06, 2008, 11:01:32 am »

Vhab beat me to it.

Now please respect Noer's decision to keep the database backend private in order to make it a more useful tool for the vast majority of users.

You should have no issues whatsoever writing up or having someone else write up a backend for your own use, so you can collect and utilize your own data.

Author Topic: Items and logging the chat. (Read 5354 times)

figgy

Re: Items and logging the chat.

Vhab

Re: Items and logging the chat.

Alreadythere

Re: Items and logging the chat.

Khalem

Re: Items and logging the chat.