Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Havok Releases Free Version For PC Developers

Posted by kdawson on from the let-slip-the-dogs-of-physics dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Havok has released the free version of its widely-used physics and animation engine (but without source code), including tools that integrate with Autodesk 3ds Max and Maya. Developers may use Havok for free for non-commercial games, middleware, and academic projects. Here are the SDK and tools."

2 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Don't complain by nhaines · · Score: 3, Informative

    The point of the GPL is to produce software which is freely redistributable. But if you integrate non-Free software, then you lose the rights that the GPL is meant to protect. You can no longer share the entire project. You can no longer examine the way the entire project works. You can no longer sell the project. You can no longer fix and support the project.

    If you do not want to grant others the freedom to your software that the GPL offers, then you should not license your code under the GPL and instead you should pick a more appropriate license.

  2. Re:Don't complain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative
    Correct. However, there is a clause (at least in GPLv2, and a similar clause should exist in GPLv3) that states:

    However, as a special exception, the source code distributed need not include anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the executable.


    In other words, it's fine to create GPL software that links with standard Windows libraries. If, however, you want to link it with libraries that are add-ons - like WinG was back in Windows 3.1 days (to pull an example off the top of my head) - you're violating the terms of the GPL.