ZDoom's License

LK873 · Post by **LK873** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:57 pm

Just a quick question, what license is ZDoom and it's source code under?

Siggi · Post by **Siggi** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:22 pm

Doom source code license and the Build license I think.

Documentation is dated December 1999, so I don't think your question is that quick...

Post by **Kirby** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:15 pm

I believe it's under the GNU Public License

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:25 pm

No. No part of ZDoom is GPL - the inclusion of Heretic, Hexen and Build code prevents it.

LK873 · Post by **LK873** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:46 pm

This makes me wonder... ZDoom has merged Heretic/Hexen/Doom code which, AFAICT, all conflict in license. And IIRC it also includes some BUILD and Quake 2 code as well. Can anybody explain this?

Lexus Alyus · Post by **Lexus Alyus** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:49 pm

Aparantly not

.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:34 pm

LK873 wrote:This makes me wonder... ZDoom has merged Heretic/Hexen/Doom code which, AFAICT, all conflict in license. And IIRC it also includes some BUILD and Quake 2 code as well. Can anybody explain this?

Sure. The licenses don't conflict with each other but they all conflict with the GPL. The little bit of Q2 code doesn't really matter.

LK873 · Post by **LK873** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:48 pm

http://liberatedgames.org/licenses/End_ ... e_Code.txt

And the "little bit of Q2" code matters because AFAIK it's GPL.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:27 pm

Yes, it is GPL but just taking some simple trivial code that can be obtained as easily elsewhere doesn't really matter. AFAIK it's only 2 or 3 tiny functions Randy took from Q2 and none of those is doing anything noteworthy.

LK873 · Post by **LK873** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:21 pm

So your basically saying ZDoom is illegal?

HobbsTiger1 · Post by **HobbsTiger1** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:03 pm

2.0.96 may be (big maybe) illegal. However 1. I don't think anyone much cares, because you seem to be the first one who brought it up, and 2. Since Randy is rewritting a lot or most of the code for 2.0.97 it really won't matter then.

LK873 · Post by **LK873** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:21 pm

Well, as long as there isn't a line of code from any GPLed source after the "re-write" is done he should be fine. Also, that Hexen license is so goddamn stupid that according to it, having a single line of Hexen code in a Doom engine would be violating it. Why can't all this stuff just be GPLed and be done with? God.

Ajapted · Post by **Ajapted** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:59 am

Graf Zahl wrote:Yes, it is GPL but just taking some simple trivial code that can be obtained as easily elsewhere doesn't really matter. AFAIK it's only 2 or 3 tiny functions Randy took from Q2 and none of those is doing anything noteworthy.

Yeah AFAIK the only Q2 code is vectors.cpp and vectors.h, and while I wouldn't call it completely trivial, it could be easily replaced.

Whether mixing code with original Doom license, Hexen license and Build license allows you to legally distribute the result is a more significant question. I doubt Raven will ever relicense it under GPL, and hell freezes over before Ken Silverman relicense anything under the GPL.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:01 am

Since it is all basic math I somehow doubt that anyone could claim copyright for that code...

Lexus Alyus · Post by **Lexus Alyus** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:07 am

Nobody seems bothered ATM. My guess is that they havn't cottoned on yet... so keep this hush

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