Suppose you have a GPL game engine which uses various graphics files for displaying images, and a script file that it interprets for the plot. Could a person create a proprietary game where he distributes his own copyrighted graphics and script files along with the engine and its source code?
I would tend to believe that the answer is 'yes'. However, I've heard arguments that since the engine is interpreting the script, it's as if the script is combined with the engine, and must therefore also be GPL'd. (Note that the script could be a binary file compiled from source.)
If I recall, the fellow who created the Bochs emulator (maybe his name is Bochs?) claimed that Vmware was using one of his key ideas and not giving credit. I wonder what he thinks of that company being sold for over $.5 billion.
You're likely correct. I've heard that often, the first person to prove a theory in mathematics does it in a very complex way. Later, other mathematicians figure out how to simplify it. It's a little like cleaning up someone else's code.
To me, an IDE is like one of those automatic breadmakers, where you throw in the ingredients, it mixes them, kneads the dough, and then bakes it. One of these can be nice if all you want to make is bread.
Unix tools are akin to having an oven, mixing bowl, breadboard, pans, and all the other simple items that most kitchens have. You can make anything you want, in any shape you want. And it usually comes out much better.
Manager #1 happens to hire one or two brilliant software developers, and his/her project is a success. He/she gets a promotions and tons of stock options.
Manager #2 hires incompetents, and the project is a disaster. This person doesn't get promoted, and maybe gets fired.
In both cases, all the technical people lose their jobs, as they're outsourced in order to cut costs.
Well said. But I think there's something else going on here involving classes. Technical people were generally the 'geeks' in school. During the 90's, this formerly middle-class group started to rise a little higher, and this was a real irritation to the "investor class" that you refer to. I believe that the current outsourcing isn't just a matter of cost-cutting, but is also an effort to put us back "in our place".
It's the same for you as for me, with 25 years experience: You need to find a friend or acquaintance employed at a place you'd like to work. If you're still in school, you might find professors who can help.
I was going to be a mathematician, but went into software instead. And I wouldn't say they're at all alike. A mathematician is a scientist, attempting to do something unique that has never been done before. They don't spend their days solving differential equations; that's more of an engineering task.
I've also done woodworking as a hobby, and developing software does have many similarities. A woodworker may create unique items, but the methods are well known, and are often very algorithmic (such as producing dovetail joints).
The one activity that struck me as most like writing software was writing a novel. Each novel is unique, yet there are common structures that they all share. The style must be consistent, and there are lots of small pieces that have to work together.
I worked for them around 1987, when they used to build their own Unix workstations. They have a nice product, but most of their customers seemed to be large banks and insurance companies.
This goes back a long way, to when I was using GCC on OS/2, and was having trouble with a GUI version of GDB called PMGDB. I emailed the author, and he sent me a fixed version the next day!
I was so impressed that I decided to give Linux a try.
At first you were starting to make me feel better about this, until you got to the part about the US passing laws...
This has always been my fear about the future of computing. If politicians can push 'trusted computing' laws for the purpose of 'fighting terrorism' or 'protecting the children', you might find that connecting a Linux/BSD computer to the internet is equivalent to walking down the street smoking a joint. How many of us would continue using our favorite OS's if it meant risking a few years in prison, or losing our houses?
I'm more careful to lock my doors when we're home then when away. It insures that someone who wants to get into the house won't be able to sneak in quietly, and that's the sort of person you really want to deter.
If someone wants to break in when we're away, they're going to. If they have to break through a door to do so, the damage will probably be greater than what they steal. I know this from personal experience.
It's similar with cars. A thief once broke my window to steal the stereo, which happened to be old, broken, and worth less than half the cost of the window.
Well, you certainly won't get an accurate accounting here.
But I can tell you that the unemployment rate only considers people who are working, or actively looking for work as the total population. So if a former software engineer goes back to school, he/she is no longer considered 'unemployed'. Similarly, if you set yourself up as a consultant, you're also no longer unemployed, even if you're not making any money at it.
Slashdot Mirror
Here's another question:
Suppose you have a GPL game engine which uses various graphics files for displaying images, and a script file that it interprets for the plot. Could a person create a proprietary game where he distributes his own copyrighted graphics and script files along with the engine and its source code?
I would tend to believe that the answer is 'yes'. However, I've heard arguments that since the engine is interpreting the script, it's as if the script is combined with the engine, and must therefore also be GPL'd. (Note that the script could be a binary file compiled from source.)
If I recall, the fellow who created the Bochs emulator (maybe his name is Bochs?) claimed that Vmware was using one of his key ideas and not giving credit. I wonder what he thinks of that company being sold for over $.5 billion.
The general population plays FPS's on PS2's, Gamecubes, and Xbox's.
Nerds play Ultima and Monkey Island on their PC's.
And True Nerds write their own engines for playing Ultima and Monkey Island on their PC's!
spreadsheet.eng:
---
Write a spreadsheet that's Excel-compatible.
---
gcc -o spreadsheet spreadsheet.eng
You're likely correct. I've heard that often, the first person to prove a theory in mathematics does it in a very complex way. Later, other mathematicians figure out how to simplify it. It's a little like cleaning up someone else's code.
Hey, that was one of my favorite tools too, back in the 80's. Can't think of anything better for finding the Amulet of Yendor.
Maybe they were sick and tired of waiting for "Longhorn"?
To me, an IDE is like one of those automatic breadmakers, where you throw in the ingredients, it mixes them, kneads the dough, and then bakes it. One of these can be nice if all you want to make is bread.
Unix tools are akin to having an oven, mixing bowl, breadboard, pans, and all the other simple items that most kitchens have. You can make anything you want, in any shape you want. And it usually comes out much better.
Yes, whenever I have a Windows problem and do a Google search, I find dozens, maybe hundreds of posts with the same problem, with most in English.
What I don't find are solutions.
Yes, you end up with something like Linux, or Apache, Samba, Emacs, KDE, Gnome, MAME, SDL, Mplayer, Xine...
(Yes, I know that those projects all have leaders, but they act more as lead programmers than as managers.)
Here's how management works:
Manager #1 happens to hire one or two brilliant software developers, and his/her project is a success. He/she gets a promotions and tons of stock options.
Manager #2 hires incompetents, and the project is a disaster. This person doesn't get promoted, and maybe gets fired.
In both cases, all the technical people lose their jobs, as they're outsourced in order to cut costs.
Well said. But I think there's something else going on here involving classes. Technical people were generally the 'geeks' in school. During the 90's, this formerly middle-class group started to rise a little higher, and this was a real irritation to the "investor class" that you refer to. I believe that the current outsourcing isn't just a matter of cost-cutting, but is also an effort to put us back "in our place".
It's the same for you as for me, with 25 years experience: You need to find a friend or acquaintance employed at a place you'd like to work. If you're still in school, you might find professors who can help.
I was going to be a mathematician, but went into software instead. And I wouldn't say they're at all alike. A mathematician is a scientist, attempting to do something unique that has never been done before. They don't spend their days solving differential equations; that's more of an engineering task.
I've also done woodworking as a hobby, and developing software does have many similarities. A woodworker may create unique items, but the methods are well known, and are often very algorithmic (such as producing dovetail joints).
The one activity that struck me as most like writing software was writing a novel. Each novel is unique, yet there are common structures that they all share. The style must be consistent, and there are lots of small pieces that have to work together.
With all those documents the GPL violates, at least it doesn't violate the 10 Commandments.
Or does it...?
I worked for them around 1987, when they used to build their own Unix workstations. They have a nice product, but most of their customers seemed to be large banks and insurance companies.
Yes, it was successful at encouraging me to build my next PC with Linux as the only OS.
Mine just as an SVideo output. Would that yield HDTV quality?
This goes back a long way, to when I was using GCC on OS/2, and was having trouble with a GUI version of GDB called PMGDB. I emailed the author, and he sent me a fixed version the next day!
I was so impressed that I decided to give Linux a try.
At first you were starting to make me feel better about this, until you got to the part about the US passing laws...
This has always been my fear about the future of computing. If politicians can push 'trusted computing' laws for the purpose of 'fighting terrorism' or 'protecting the children', you might find that connecting a Linux/BSD computer to the internet is equivalent to walking down the street smoking a joint. How many of us would continue using our favorite OS's if it meant risking a few years in prison, or losing our houses?
I'm more careful to lock my doors when we're home then when away. It insures that someone who wants to get into the house won't be able to sneak in quietly, and that's the sort of person you really want to deter.
If someone wants to break in when we're away, they're going to. If they have to break through a door to do so, the damage will probably be greater than what they steal. I know this from personal experience.
It's similar with cars. A thief once broke my window to steal the stereo, which happened to be old, broken, and worth less than half the cost of the window.
I can just imagine:
Customer: My hard drive failed after the first week of use. It made a grinding sound, and then smoke started coming out.
TechSupport: What version of Windows are you using?
Customer: I'm running Red Hat Linux 8.0.
** silence **
Funny, but...
Why do people fight over who 'owns' the land? I'd say it's because they see each other as fundamentally different.
Finding something in common is the first step to getting along.
Heh! That's brilliant. I've read all sorts of stuff about 'networking', but nobody's suggested that.
I did manage to get the nerve to chat with a woman wearing her company's tee-shirt at my gym.
Well, you certainly won't get an accurate accounting here.
But I can tell you that the unemployment rate only considers people who are working, or actively looking for work as the total population. So if a former software engineer goes back to school, he/she is no longer considered 'unemployed'. Similarly, if you set yourself up as a consultant, you're also no longer unemployed, even if you're not making any money at it.