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A comment on Orbiter Space Flight Simulator is now open source. Parent comment

Re:Orbiter Space Flight Simulator is now open source by goodpoint on Wednesday July 28, 2021 @01:13PM (#27986249)
> the GPL would not stop someone "making major changes, and releasing it as proprietary software ...

> The only difference is that they would be obligated to release the source code.

If they release the source code it's not proprietary software anymore - by definition - and GPL achieved its goal.

> the GPL and MIT licenses are orthogonal to making money

The GPL allows selling modified (FOSS) versions with extended contents e.g. artwork, music.

But it also allows the original author to do so without succumbing to the competition from companies that leverage their dominant market position.

With MIT freeloaders win.

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Re:Orbiter Space Flight Simulator is now open source by baq on Wednesday July 28, 2021 @02:31PM (#27987661)
it doesn't matter that much in case of games, because the code is not very useful without assets. famously multiple quakes were released as GPL software and it didn't really cost id software anything in lost sales. art and levels were NOT released as GPL.

i'd say MIT license wouldn't impact the sales outcome at all.

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