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Opensource your abandonware (2010)

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Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#21

Post by ghaff »

fsflover wrote: post #18
zinekeller wrote: post #7

Here is the problem though: let's assume that the developer really wants to release the source code , but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. This complicates open-sourcing that software (this is already proven from time-to-time, for example the OpenJDK Java runtime needs to and has changed third-party components l…

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

Unless it's something wildly popular, to a first approximation, no one is going to go to the effort to get a discontinued game or other software into a usable state given missing libraries, build systems, developer docs, etc. And, as parent noted, it's still quite a bit of work to open source proprietary code even if a company has a genuine interest in doing so. I have first-hand knowledge of situations where a company wanted/needed to open source acquired code and it took a good year of concerted effort to do so.

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#22

Post by maccard »

fsflover wrote: post #18
zinekeller wrote: post #7

Here is the problem though: let's assume that the developer really wants to release the source code , but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. This complicates open-sourcing that software (this is already proven from time-to-time, for example the OpenJDK Java runtime needs to and has changed third-party components l…

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

If you don't have the rights to release it you likely don't have the rights to redistribute the api either, so you need to strip that out.

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#23

Post by [deleted] »

maccard wrote: post #22
fsflover wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

If you don't have the rights to release it you likely don't have the rights to redistribute the api either, so you need to strip that out.

[deleted]

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#24

Post by Thaxll »

fsflover wrote: post #18
zinekeller wrote: post #7

Here is the problem though: let's assume that the developer really wants to release the source code , but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. This complicates open-sourcing that software (this is already proven from time-to-time, for example the OpenJDK Java runtime needs to and has changed third-party components l…

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

As if it was just that easy to remove all part of third party code ... For example removing a physic engine from a game is pretty much "impossible".

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#25

Post by colonwqbang »

ghaff wrote: post #21
fsflover wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

Unless it's something wildly popular, to a first approximation, no one is going to go to the effort to get a discontinued game or other software into a usable state given missing libraries, build systems, developer docs, etc. And, as parent noted, it's still quite a bit of work to open source proprietary code even if a company has a genuine interest in doing so. I have first-hand knowledge of situations where a compa…

In the second paragraph of the article the author describes how some dependencies of the application were replaced by open-source libraries like SDL. There are also many more examples of this happening. So the assertion that "nobody" would do it is wrong.

If the application is interesting, people will find find a way to run it on modern hardware. It's not an excuse not to open-source what you can of your code.

This line of excuses is just weak. Either release the code or keep it proprietary, that's your decision as owner. Just spare us the silly excuses and trying to make it seem like your company would really really like to open-source if only it wasn't for that tiny detail of blah...

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#26

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

FartyMcFarter wrote: post #20
colesantiago wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's abandoned who cares?

I think it's a mixture of two things: One is a, perhaps misguided, internal fear of being judged. Another one is that prospective employers sometimes look at one's github history.

It's not necessarily misguided. Geeks love to cut up other geeks.

As the recipient of a fair bit of that stuff, over the years, it has hardened my resolve to:

A) Do a top-notch job on all my code; regardless of whether or not anyone else will ever see it it; and

2) Not pass public negative judgement, in a specific way, on others' code (unless, of course, I am planning to use it).

Positive judgement is all good. I will sometimes make generalized "kids, these days" or "get off my lawn" statements. I may have specific targets, but I keep things vague.

As a manager for 25 years, I learned that carrots tend to yield better long-term results than sticks.

If a young programmer releases something that they think will "change the world," but is, in fact, just another wheel, I see geeks pile on them mercilessly.

I feel that it is better to praise the good work, and gently point them towards the previous wheels.

But I'm a fairly abnormal geek.

I've also open-sourced almost all my work for the last couple of decades.

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#27

Post by syshum »

maccard wrote: post #22
fsflover wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

If you don't have the rights to release it you likely don't have the rights to redistribute the api either, so you need to strip that out.

Well I hope then that Google wins against Oracle and we can finally say API's are not copyrightable...

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#28

Post by ksec »

merlinscholz wrote: post #6
ksec wrote: post #4

Open Source Flash from Adobe would be great.

I would love Opera's Presto engine to be open sourced. A few days ago I've read taht there are extreme memory optimizations so that it could be run on centralized servers for their Opera Mini variant. Also we really need more browser engines.

I remember they couldn't do it because they had some proprietary code inside Presto and had contract obligation with many embedded system still using the Opera's Presto rendering engine.

May be another 5 years.

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#29

Post by capableweb »

ghaff wrote: post #21
fsflover wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but the problem is that they have used a third-party library where they cannot legally release because they simply don't have the rights to it. Just release everything else. Someone can write their own library for that or maybe even find a replacement in the open-source world.

Unless it's something wildly popular, to a first approximation, no one is going to go to the effort to get a discontinued game or other software into a usable state given missing libraries, build systems, developer docs, etc. And, as parent noted, it's still quite a bit of work to open source proprietary code even if a company has a genuine interest in doing so. I have first-hand knowledge of situations where a compa…

> no one is going to go to the effort to get a discontinued game or other software into a usable state

The reason to open sourcing abandonware is not because you know for sure someone needs/wants it, it's to enable someone who does need/wants it, can still have it.

Instead of assuming you know what people want, open sourcing abandonware would enable people to make that decision for themselves, not you making it for them.

Re: Opensource your abandonware (2010)

#30

Post by AntiImperialis4 »

nerdponx wrote: post #14
AntiImperialis4 wrote: post #10

Definitely don't. Nothing good will come to you from it. You abandoned it for a reason and only people who'll benefit from it are other people. That would be fine if it was not at your expense. Someone may look at the source code and contact your support or even take you to court because one of your programmers ignored license of a third party library. You could get it audited and re-write parts of it... even so, the…

This is why many open source licenses come with explicit warranty disclaimers.

That doesn't protect you against violating someone else's license. If you never make it opensource, nobody has to know.
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