Quake, Meet GPL; GPL, Meet Quake

Mar 04, 2009, 14:03 (1 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Shawn Powers)

"In this article, I introduce some great new games that use the Quake 3 engine. They're all free, and they all run natively under Linux.

"First, let's talk about what id Software really did when it released the engine under the GPL. As Linux users, we're familiar with terms like, "Free as in speech and free as in beer". For the record, I have never understood the latter part of that motto. Beer is rarely free. Nonetheless, the Quake 3 engine is indeed free in several ways:

"The program is free to download. You don't have to pay for it, and it's not crippled in any way whatsoever. You can give it to your friends, for free, and you won't be a pirate. (This is the "free as in beer" part.)
The program is free to modify, change, repackage and even sell--provided you include your source code. (This is the "free as in speech" part.)
The engine is not the whole game. You can't install the program and expect to frag your little brother in the next room. The graphics, models, maps and such are not free. If you distribute those things (from the retail Quake 3 CD), you, in fact, will be a pirate. That part is not free."

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