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ScummVM on the App Store

apps.apple.com

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Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#21

Post by jraph »

m463 wrote: post #2

hmmm I suspect this is because it is GPLv2 which doesn't require the freedom to RUN the program (which apple doesn't give you) apple seems to ship software with gplv2 (old bash, etc) but no GPLv3 software. ...even though they are technically in violation of the GPL by modifying and shipping bash binaries without full source - it is missing rootless.h (not the X11 file)

> GPLv2 which doesn't require the freedom to RUN the program

It does. This is the first freedom of free software. I'm not sure the issues with distributing GPL software on the App store are specific to the GPLv3. I don't fully understand things on this, but [1] seems to be a good entry point.

> apple seems to ship software with gplv2 (old bash, etc) but no GPLv3 software.

This is an Apple policy / a choice that they make. They could decide to distribute GPLv3 software with Mac legally, but chose not to.

> by modifying and shipping bash binaries without full source - it is missing rootless.h (not the X11 file)

I would be interested in knowing more about this. I'm surprised they've not been already sued if they violate bash's license.

[1] https://opensource.stackexchange.com/questions/9500/is-apple...

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#22

Post by unixhero »

bossyTeacher wrote: post #13

What is the appeal with games that are this old? Is the audience people that played them in their childhood? I struggle to see kids (who are used to super colourful, hyper interactive, animated games) play GBC games let alone something like this. Any ideas?

Story, charm, fun

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#23

Post by madmoose »

wk_end wrote: post #9
Ecco wrote: post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

It’s got interpreters that lets it execute arbitrary (?) code, which I thought was verboten. TBH I’m not sure how this got through Apple’s censors…?

Most game engines have scripting languages built in.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#24

Post by gunapologist99 »

rafram wrote: post #15
m463 wrote: post #2

hmmm I suspect this is because it is GPLv2 which doesn't require the freedom to RUN the program (which apple doesn't give you) apple seems to ship software with gplv2 (old bash, etc) but no GPLv3 software. ...even though they are technically in violation of the GPL by modifying and shipping bash binaries without full source - it is missing rootless.h (not the X11 file)

GPLv3’s anti-Tivoization clause specifically targets software bundled with a device, which this is not. There’s plenty of GPLv3 software distributed by its developers on the App Store and nothing in the text of the GPL forbids distribution in a proprietary marketplace.

In that case, I wonder why Google is so highly allergic to GPLv3 in its GCP marketplace.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#25

Post by xmodem »

m463 wrote: post #2

hmmm I suspect this is because it is GPLv2 which doesn't require the freedom to RUN the program (which apple doesn't give you) apple seems to ship software with gplv2 (old bash, etc) but no GPLv3 software. ...even though they are technically in violation of the GPL by modifying and shipping bash binaries without full source - it is missing rootless.h (not the X11 file)

It's been a hot minute since I had to dig into the code Apple publishes for anything and since then they seem to have moved it all to Github. I don't have my mac handy to try building it, but I don't see any references to a rootless.h in the code they're publishing. I'm curious to know a bit more about what's missing.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#26

Post by ethbr1 »

For those who don't recognize Scumm (since it's getting pretty old now...), it was an adventure game engine. Widely used for classic Lucasfilm Games/LucasArts titles. (edit fixed! See below comment)

Here's the list of supported games: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Category:Supported_...

If you're looking for recommendations...

- Zork (the OG, and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Zork

- Beneath a Steel Sky: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Beneath_a_Steel_Sky

- Blade Runner: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Blade_Runner

- The Castle of Dr. Brain (and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Castle_of_Dr._Brain

- Maniac Mansion / Day of the Tentacle: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Maniac_Mansion https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Day_of_the_Tentacle

- The Dig: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=The_Dig

- Full Throttle: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Full_Throttle

- Gabriel Knight (and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Gabriel_Knight

- Grim Fandango: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Grim_Fandango

- Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Indiana_Jones_and_t...

- Kings Quest (and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=King%27s_Quest

- Leather Goddesses from Phobos (and sequel): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Leather_Goddesses_o...

- Leisure Suit Larry (and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Leisure_Suit_Larry

- The Longest Journey: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=The_Longest_Journey

- Police Quest (and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Police_Quest

- Riven: The Sequel to Myst: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Riven:_The_Sequel_t...

- Sam and Max Hit the Road: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Sam_%26_Max_Hit_the...

- The Secret of Monkey Island (and sequels): https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=The_Secret_of_Monke...

- Space Quest: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Space_Quest

- Syberia: https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Syberia

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#27

Post by kemayo »

bossyTeacher wrote: post #13

What is the appeal with games that are this old? Is the audience people that played them in their childhood? I struggle to see kids (who are used to super colourful, hyper interactive, animated games) play GBC games let alone something like this. Any ideas?

A lot of the audience probably is the nostalgic. But also, there's quite a few genuinely good games in there, and also some very foundational ones. The tendency towards cartoony graphics and a plot/humor focus means that in some ways they've aged a lot better than other games from a similar era.

In a way it's like asking why people read old fashioned novels, even though they're out of step with modern language and culture.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#28

Post by alberth »

bossyTeacher wrote: post #13

What is the appeal with games that are this old? Is the audience people that played them in their childhood? I struggle to see kids (who are used to super colourful, hyper interactive, animated games) play GBC games let alone something like this. Any ideas?

It’s the same reason why Nintendo does so well relative to PS/XBox.

It doesn’t have to be all about high-end graphics.

Plot, game play, fun is what’s most important for a large segment of gamers.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#29

Post by madmoose »

peddling-brink wrote: post #7
Ecco wrote: post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

I’m surprised it’s allowed at all. To my knowledge, Apple has never allowed general purpose virtualization software.

There's no general purpose virtualization involved in ScummVM. It's a collection of game engines derived mostly from reverse engineering old games.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#30

Post by jraph »

gunapologist99 wrote: post #24
rafram wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GPLv3’s anti-Tivoization clause specifically targets software bundled with a device, which this is not. There’s plenty of GPLv3 software distributed by its developers on the App Store and nothing in the text of the GPL forbids distribution in a proprietary marketplace.

In that case, I wonder why Google is so highly allergic to GPLv3 in its GCP marketplace.

Is it GPLv3 or AGPL?

Their reasons (their excuses? At this point I'm not convinced at all) to ban AGPL are documented at [1].

[1] https://opensource.google/documentation/reference/using/agpl...

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