Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 21:47:22 -0600
From: John Carmack 
To: slade@quakelives.com
Cc: knghtbrd@debian.org, rms@gnu.org
Subject: Quake Lives

Ok, after several people mentioned it, I went and looked at exactly what QuakeLives is doing with regards to the gpl.

The main web page discusses using closed source proxy programs for the security, but the downloads are just modified quakeworld executables.

Version 2.52 is available as either a binary or source download, exactly as it should be.

Version 2.53 is dated yesterday and is available only as a patch to the 2.52 binaries.

Without a corresponding source release (or patch to the source), that is indeed a violation of the GPL.

However, I don't see any evidence that it is intended to stay that way, just that it is a work-in-progress beta, and the developers are probably more busy coding and testing than building source releases.

I think everyone deserves a reasonable grace period after binary release. I certainly don't get source releases out the same day as binary releases, even when I fully intend to release the code asap. Still, the difference is that I am not bound by any license to release at all...

It would be in everyones best interest to modify development practices so it is just as convenient to build a source and binary release at the same time as to build a binary-only release, but a small delay probably isn't anything to get upset about.

However, if the project started making very frequent (say, weekly) releases, even small source delays could get to be an issue for people that want to review the code diffs before playing with it.

John Carmack

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 00:47:38 EST
From: Quake Lives 
To: johnc@idsoftware.com
Cc: knghtbrd@debian.org, rms@gnu.org
Subject: Re: Quake Lives

Hello,

Technically according to the Buisness Software Alliance, what I am doing is perfectly legal. It fits in the same category as distributing a 'crack' for a piece of software, which it in itself is legal, but distributing the binary is not. But you are correct in assuming that this is a work in progress and this is nothing but a shadow of the work completed.

However, do to my tremendous respect for you and iD software, if my work still offends you, I will have it resolved immediately. I would like to ask one thing tho, if you wish to do this, please leave a verifyable way to get in touch with you in person(over the phone or whatnot) in a way that would be obviously identifyable as someone from iD. I have had a problem with certain people trying to fake email addresses(this is the 3rd email i've gotten from johnc@idsoftware.com in the past 24 hours, all with diffrent tones to them(You dont suffer from multiple personalities and loss of memory do you?)) so hopefully you can understand where I am coming from.

-- Slade
Project Leader of QuakeLives

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