Using FreeBASIC for commercial software development

vdecampo · Post by **vdecampo** » Aug 22, 2007 22:31

Are there any reasons (legally) that would prohibit using FreeBASIC to develop commercial software?

-Vince

notthecheatr · Post by **notthecheatr** » Aug 22, 2007 22:34

Nope, no reasons whatsoever AFAIK. Of course, any other resources you use to develop software commercially you must also be legally entitled to (whether free or purchased).

Check the FreeBasic license, but I'm pretty sure there's no reason you can't use it to develop commercial software. I've seen posts from other people doing it here, so...

sir_mud · Post by **sir_mud** » Aug 23, 2007 0:12

The only restriction is actually with the Graphics library since it is licensed under the GNU LGPL. The rtlib has a clause saying it can be linked with commercial programs.

anonymous1337 · Post by **anonymous1337** » Aug 23, 2007 1:01

You mean proprietary? Commercial programs can be open source, too. OSS programs can be commercial :D

vdecampo · Post by **vdecampo** » Aug 23, 2007 3:00

The only restriction is actually with the Graphics library since it is licensed under the GNU LGPL.

So I can't create a program that is "MY" creation if I link to "fbgfx.bi"?
What about "FreeImage" or "FBSound"?

I would like to figure these things out before I waste any more time developing a game that I can't sell as my own creation.

-Vince

D.J.Peters · Post by **D.J.Peters** » Aug 23, 2007 3:32

The copyright of FBSound it's by me
but it's open source and totaly free
for commercial apps too

Joshy

Dr_D · Post by **Dr_D** » Aug 23, 2007 5:47

In my opinion, the best setup for game programming is:

FreeBASIC (of course) :p
OpenGL w/GLFW
FBSound
FBPng
Enet

All of those libraries are totally free to use for whatever you wish. ;)

KristopherWindsor · Post by **KristopherWindsor** » Aug 23, 2007 6:18

Could fbgfx.bi eventually be legally unrestricted, like FreeBASIC?

sir_mud · Post by **sir_mud** » Aug 23, 2007 6:50

for networking cha0s' chisock library is also free for all uses. as for gfxlib, lillo and everyone who's contributed to it would need to ok adding the commercial use clause like the rtlib. But like it was mentioned earlier, it is perfectly legal to sell a game published under the GPL, you just have to provide sources.

Eponasoft · Post by **Eponasoft** » Aug 23, 2007 7:32

The LGPL does not limit your ability to use the routines in a commercial product, nor does it require you to release your source code. The LGPL protects the library itself, not products created using it. It differs from the GPL in that aspect, as well as a few others. Furthermore, licenses do not have the legal strength of a copyright, but unless you are blatantly stealing someone else's copyrighted work and claiming it as your own, this also does not apply here. FBsound, for example, is copyrighted by D.J.Peters. In this context, that means you cannot legally take FBsound and sell it as if you owned it. The only license you have to be careful of is the GPL itself, as it is one of the most restrictive licenses ever devised, but ironically, also one of the most ineffective (look at PySol for a great example of how the GPL fails to actually protect products and developers). I personally use a revised BSD license for all freeware/public domain work, and a standard, highly restrictive license for all commercial products regardless of the compiler and/or tools used to produce that product. I avoid the GPL at all costs.

If you really want to protect your commercial products, you MUST have them legally copyrighted by the government of your country. In the USA, it is also highly recommended to trademark your product name, if possible.

Sisophon2001 · Post by **Sisophon2001** » Aug 23, 2007 11:39

vdecampo wrote:
The only restriction is actually with the Graphics library since it is licensed under the GNU LGPL.
So I can't create a program that is "MY" creation if I link to "fbgfx.bi"?
<snip>
-Vince

You can create an sell a program linked to "fbgfx.bi" but you must make it open source.

If you stick to OpenGL code with fbgfx then it is relatively simple to convert it to GLFW if you wish to sell it and keep it closed source. Last time i looked (two years ago) there was an almost a one to one equivalences between fbgfx OpenGL commands and GLFW OpenGL commands, with a zero learning curve if you wish to switch.

Garvan

Eponasoft · Post by **Eponasoft** » Aug 23, 2007 14:32

Sisophon2001 wrote:You can create an sell a program linked to "fbgfx.bi" but you must make it open source.

That is not correct. The LGPL permits the creation of proprietary, closed-source software as long as the library protected by the LGPL is not modified in any way. If you modify a library protected under the LGPL, then your modifications of the library must be released as source code. Furthermore, whatever the case, you must distribute a copy of the LGPL with your application, specifying its usage in your license scheme.

Sisophon2001 · Post by **Sisophon2001** » Aug 23, 2007 16:32

Eponasoft wrote:
Sisophon2001 wrote:You can create an sell a program linked to "fbgfx.bi" but you must make it open source.
That is not correct. The LGPL permits the creation of proprietary, closed-source software as long as the library protected by the LGPL is not modified in any way. If you modify a library protected under the LGPL, then your modifications of the library must be released as source code. Furthermore, whatever the case, you must distribute a copy of the LGPL with your application, specifying its usage in your license scheme.

Have a look at this post:

http://www.freebasic.net/forum/viewtopi ... t=lilo+gpl

I am waiting to be educated.

garvan

diffeecult · Post by **diffeecult** » Aug 23, 2007 17:14

My understanding is that just linking to a library does not make your program a derivative work. I read the article in this link three times and think that is what it says. But I could be wrong.
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6366

diffeecult

vdecampo · Post by **vdecampo** » Aug 23, 2007 18:42

Well at this point it looks like If I eliminate linking fbgfx then I should be ok. I don't think I am using anything there anyway.

Cheers!

:-)