If you alter/expand/modify code/program under the GPL license are you forced to share this code with everyone else? I couldn''t find any specific info on this on the GNU site.

Yep, if you make any changes you have to distribute the code as well.

Only if you distribute, though if you add anything neat or fix a bug it''s considered polite to email the author.

Ok say the server is GPL, and you build a game ontop of the server. Will the game also be considered GPL?

Does the game use code from the server? I don't think it's legal to use GPL'ed code in a non-GPL program. That's not the case with the LGPL (Lesser GNU Public License) though (I think). Correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't really studied the L/GPL that hard

Edited by - Muzzafarath on October 21, 2000 12:27:34 PM

of course you're not required to distribute changes/modifications/bugfixes. but if you DO distribute it, you must, under most conditions, distribute it under GPL.

GPL basically means that you have to GPL your own work, if it already GPLed "components" constitute a significant portion. there are certainly many shades of gray involved, but such things as requring GCC or glibc, or including a clever GPLed way of computing, say, square roots for implementing a 3d engine does not constitue a "significant portion", but using a GPLed 3d engine to create a game does.

that was the extremely short version. I'm dead sure I have this from somewhere on the GNU web-pages, but I cannot find it now. anyway; the crux is the phrase "derivative work". a few handy links:

• What is Copyleft?
  
• What is Free Software?
  
• the GNU General Public License
  
• <A HREF="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html>Categories of Free and Non-Free software
  

Edited by - Fremmed on October 21, 2000 1:07:16 PM

Ok, with distribute you mean to make the game public? When I make the game public, I must make the entire game logic that resides on the server side and the client GPL and give out the source. Or perhaps giving out the servers somewhat modified source would be enough? Nobody here seems to have a full grasp of things...

that depends. what GPLed software/code are you using?

LOL...I love the bug in this post!

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I haven''t decided what GPL server to use, but I believe there are some to choose from. It would save some time, and I would rather pick one where I would not have to give up the whole game source if it is possible.