yeah you can make your own license. Might want a lawyer to look it over. I mean you don't want someone to twist your words or something to mean something you don't want to say. Also make sure to research current licenses. There might already be one that works for you. I myself use WTFPL. Probably not good for engine development though.

Quote: Original post by CodaKiller
Can I create my own license? I mean do I really have to use one that is already created?

You can, but it's pretty tricky to get all the legalese right. Tell us what you want to get out of the licence and there's almost certainly one out there that'll match.

i.e. If I use your engine:
* does my game also have to be open source?
* do I have to credit you?
* do I need to distribute your source with my game?
* if I make changes to your engine, do I have to send them back to you?

and so on. Here's a summary of some popular licences

As other people have said, the specific license you use is more important than whether its FOSS/OSS/proprietary. I prefer BSD to LGPL. I tend to avoid GPL as I prefer to have the option to not open my own code.

Here is what I want:

* You may modify the source and distribute only binaries without any restrictions.

* Source code may not be redistrobuted but it can be submitted for review and possible inclusion into the next version of the engine.

Are there any current licences like that?

How does this sound:

"Copyright (c) <year>, <copyright holder>
All rights reserved.

Only redistribution in binary form is permitted, with or without
modification. Modifications are permitted provided that the following
conditions are met:

* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
* Neither the name of the <organization> nor the
names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY <copyright holder> ''AS IS'' AND ANY
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL <copyright holder> BE LIABLE FOR ANY
DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE."

That's a pretty useless license. If I'm working on a game with someone else and I make some changes to the engine, I can't give my co-worker the modified source code?

Quote: Original post by Sneftel
That's a pretty useless license. If I'm working on a game with someone else and I make some changes to the engine, I can't give my co-worker the modified source code?

I'm meaning commercial distribution.

"Copyright (c) <year>, <copyright holder>
All rights reserved.

Only commercial redistribution in binary form is permitted, with or
without modification. Modifications are permitted provided that the
following conditions are met:

* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
* Neither the name of the <organization> nor the
names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY <copyright holder> 'AS IS' AND ANY
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL <copyright holder> BE LIABLE FOR ANY
DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE."

Is that better?

Quote: Original post by CodaKiller

Quote: Original post by Sneftel
That's a pretty useless license. If I'm working on a game with someone else and I make some changes to the engine, I can't give my co-worker the modified source code?

I'm meaning commercial distribution.

This is why it's better to use an existing licence. They've already been through the pain of finding these corner cases.

Quote: Original post by CodaKiller
Is that better?

It's worse, because it's even more ambiguous.

I can't think of anyway to keep my project from splitting into many off versions like Linux has done. I want some control over the source since I have put so much of my time into it, at some point I may wish to turn it profitable or change something about the way it's being distributed...