FMOD and licensing

[{MSX}]

Hi! i have a question about FMOD and licensing.
Let's say that i want to make an open source game (for example GPLed). What if i use fmod ? My game can still be classified as Open Source ?

[WILL]

Sure! :)

You are providing your source code so your game is open source. FMOD is only an API that your game uses.

[{MSX}]

Sure! :)

You are providing your source code so your game is open source. FMOD is only an API that your game uses.

That's right but in Debian for example there's a distinction. If i'm right, if your program need something "not free" to run, it doesn't fall in the "free" category but in "contrib".

I guess i could do it the same anyway .. :P

[WILL]

Well debian categorizes packages so that you can tell what is required. It doesn't really define what the software generally is. The Linux mentality for the term 'Free' generally means that it is freely modified, distributed and available to other programmers. However Freeware is, simply put, just a noncommercial game that you can own free of charge.

I'd call it open source because thats what it is. You're releasing the game with the source code.

[BenBE]

And, what if, assuming I want FMOD included in Project Omorphia, using my own, adapted headers? Could I include it without problems (Omorphia is LGPL)? What do I have to care about?

[{MSX}]

And, what if, assuming I want FMOD included in Project Omorphia, using my own, adapted headers? Could I include it without problems (Omorphia is LGPL)? What do I have to care about?

I don't think you can. FMOD is not open source, so you can't ship it with your libs. Maybe you can only include your custom header, without bynaries, but that's not useful.

Don't take this for sure.. I'm not a lawyer :P

The problem is that FMOD is a damn good library.. if only other libs would be so cool :P

[BenBE]

I guessed. But As I probably will include for most recent headers (at least all 3.xx-Versions) it shouldn't be too bad, if I only ship the custom headers. The Omorphia Library itself will auto-detect all available versions of FMOD itself. And if FMOD was not available, because not installed, it would try using another lib, transparently.

[WILL]

I am quite sure that you can provide fmod as a seperate download from your site. It may also be possible to include it with your release, but for sure you'll need to keep it in it's original archive form either way you do it.

Freeware and shareware are meant to be distributed around. FMOD has sort of a funny clause where you can include it in your programs if it is freeware, however if it is not freeware(shareware or commercial) then you have to purchase a licence.

So taking this into consideration I'd say, just include it, BUT also include in a very noticeable way the FMOD licence agreement with a disclaimer in your licence or readme, etc...

This should cover your ass 100%.

[BenBE]

Yeah. And if I'm not sure yet I can ask the ppl of FMOD anyways when I request to get all the old versions and headers for inclusion. If they say yes, I'm quite secure for including it. Although I could it include it as Omorphia is Open Source and I don't have to care about the licencing as it's the developer using my Omorphia that includes FMOD in its distribution. I only plan to provide the interface.