GPL3 draft2 section 7b4

[Jastiv]

I have been looking over the GPL3 draft2, section 7b4. I was wondering in particular what you think about it since you are developing an important client-server application. In particular I was wondering if you think requiring a server side application to distribute source code is a good idea, or if it causes more problems then it solves. I would state my thoughts, but I would prefer to first hear from people who are much better developers that I am since they ultimatly have more power than me in the realm of computing.

[Lauwenmark]

In particular I was wondering if you think requiring a server side application to distribute source code is a good idea, or if it causes more problems then it solves.

I personally think it is generally a good thing for a project like Crossfire. 7b4 forces every work that would be based on the Crossfire Server to make its sources available; this would prevent people to use our work without (1)giving us proper credit and (2)sharing their own advances with the community (Graal Online anyone ? ).

Now, there is the classical objection of the "but if the source is available, the player can study it to take advantage of its flaws, he can have a look at the maps content to cheat, etc.". I'd tend to answer to this: "so what ?" - as long as a player does not spoil the fun of other players, I have no problem with this. Besides that, the source is already available, as well as the maps, and that never was a source of trouble for us, so I doubt this would change in the future.

[Rednaxela]

Plus one note, is if someone hosting a server really wants to keep their features secret, though they have to share changes to the crossfire source or maps, to my understanding, they they wouldn't have to necessarily share their own original maps or plugins/scripts they might implement.

[Reven]

Now, there is the classical objection of the "but if the source is available, the player can study it to take advantage of its flaws, he can have a look at the maps content to cheat, etc.".

This was the original reason given for why the Daimonin project stopped releasing maps with their server. They have subsequently admitted, though, that the real reason was to block forks.

In any case, the more and more people that play, the less this makes sense. I'm sure anyone who has played WoW is familliar with allakhazam.com and similar sites. Every quest is presented in minute detail. The reality is, the more popular it is, the more the fact is that a quest only ever remains a secret for the first person to find it. After that, if it's not posted on a web site somewhere it's something you can find out by talking to other people in-game. How many newbs have you told to "say chain" to?

No, the GPL v3 can't come quick enough for me.