[Scummvm-devel] P800 port - what steps should we take now?

Jamieson Christian jamiesonc at tds.net
Fri Dec 12 09:36:04 CET 2003


<original-message from="Max Horn">
1) I already did this, I changed our link to the P800 page to clearly
state that it is in violation of our license.
</original-message>

Agreed.

<original-message from="Max Horn">
2) We should send a threatening mail to the guy, demanding that he
release the source code now (we could also ask him to just close that
part of htis web page, but strictly spoken that doesn't fix the license
violation since his binary is already in wide circulation)
</original-message>

This should happen right away. And I don't think closing the web site is
good enough. If he wants to distribute it, he will find other venues. And
since he's already been distributing it, he already owes us the source code,
whether or not he stops now.

<original-message from="Max Horn">
3) Maybe somebody (ideally, somebody in sweden :-) could phone him on
our behalf. If nobody is found, I could try this.
</original-message>

I don't live in Sweden. Maybe after they adopt the Euro.... ;)

<original-message from="Max Horn">
4) We should post a news item
</original-message>

Where? On our own site? Something on the main page of hot ScummVM news would
be good. The more places on our site we can emphasize that the P800 port is
currently not supported, the less likely we are to get bug reports from
people who didn't know better.

<original-message from="Max Horn">
5) We might want to inform the news (although I think we should give
him 2 more days or so with this, maybe), including Slashdot and
anything else we can think of
</original-message>

I agree we should wait to start widespread public reaction against the guy
until he's had fair warning that that's what will come next. But only a day
or two -- he's had long enough to get in compliance; he's obviously just not
taking us seriously.

<original-message from="Max Horn">
6) We might want to tell the FSF, too, just in case. Again, maybe after
giving the guy one last chance to react.
</original-message>

I think we should do that now, unless it is believed that the FSF will take
immediate action against him. In such case, I think a notice to the FSF
should come at the same time as (5), after fair warning.

<editorial-comment from="Jamieson Christian">
What is this world coming to? If you try to sell something, people treat it
like it's free. If you offer it free of charge, people treat it like it's
public domain. I suppose if something were offered in the public domain,
people would start to pretend that they wrote it. Geez.
</editorial-comment>

Enough with my ranting. :P

    -- Jamieson (sf.net: Jamieson630)





More information about the Scummvm-devel mailing list