Hello. Can anyone recommend a good C++ open source networking library? I checked out TNL but it's not really completely open source. Thanks! :)

I found some in the forum FAQ. If anyone has any more suggestions please post them. Thanks

raknet?
why open-source anyway?

Well, the project I'm trying to work on will be open source so it would be beneficial. Plus I like open source software. :)

Out of curiosity, why would you say TNL is not completely open source? It's released under the GPL, which is definitely an open source license.

Well, if you look at the FAQ, if you want to use it for closed source or commercial apps you have to pay for it. If the code you write is free than you can use it for free. However, this isn't really completely GPL IMO.

Actually, that IS what the GPL says. If you use GPL code in a program, the whole program has to be released under the GPL. The bonus with TNL is that if you want to keep the source closed you can buy a commercial license - so you get the Free Software license if your software is free, and you get either an indie or commercial license if you want to make money off your closed source product. Seems like a fair deal to me...

Maybe what you're asking for isn't an open source library, but a public domain one? i.e. you want the library to be free to use for a closed-source product? If your product is open source (and GPL), you won't have any licensing issues with TNL.

I don't think he *really* wants open source software.

I think he wants OPEN SOURCE, not FREE SOFTWARE.

I e, I think he'd be happy with BSD license, MIT license, or maybe even LGPL license.

Personally, I think that those licenses are usually much easier to work with than GPL. GPL just fragments development down the middle, with an impenetrable wall between the GPL and the non-GPL world. It's too divisive for my personal taste.

Of course if he's working on a project that itself is not open source he'd like a license that is open source while still being compatible with closed-source products -- the GPL IS an "Open Source" license (see http://www.opensource.org/licenses/), but it also carries some other implications. Our solution for TNL was to offer it under multiple licenses (the chink in the wall if you will). I'm all for giving stuff away, but there's no business model there. GPL'ing the code is a nice middle ground for companies that want to still be able to earn money from people who are trying to make money off their work.