Dannii Willis <curiousdannii@gmail.com> writes: > (Replying out of order) > > On 13 October 2014 10:06, Nils Dagsson Moskopp < > nils@dieweltistgarnichtso.net> wrote: > >> From <https://github.com/i7/kerkerkruip/blob/master/tools/travis_build> >> it seems there exist build dependencies, meaning Kerkerkruip depends on: >> • ni — a compiler that translates Inform 7 into Inform 6 code >> • inform6 — a compiler for Inform 6 code that produces a story file >> • cBlorb — a story file compiler that produces a gblorb archive > > > > The Inform 7 developers have released a package for Debian Wheezy. I >> think this would be a native package? <http://inform7.com/download/> >> >> Dannii, Victor, as developers of Kerkerkruip, do you think the Inform 7 >> developers have released enough code so that it is possible to package >> it for Debian? If so, do you think this would be easy or hard to do it? >> > > Inform 7 is unfortunately still closed source. (Hopefully it will be opened > in the future. The developer has promised this.) If Kerkerkruip was > accepted into Debian, it would have to go into contrib, according to the > policy manual 2.2.2 > <https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html>. If I understand > the policies correctly it would be allowable for a contrib package's > Makefile to download and install Inform 7. I would package a game having non-free assets (pictures, audio), but I will not package a game having non-free executable code. So I will not try to package Kerkerkruip as long as Inform 7 stays non-free software. Proprietary executable code projects the power of its developers. Code can betray your expectations, break your assumptions. Even proprietary non-executable assets, OTOH, will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak. Proprietary game assets for free software game engines can be gradually replaced with minimal compatibility woes. I have installed ldraw-parts, for example. It may be non-free, but it is only a collection of 3D LEGO parts in ASCII text files. The software that needs it – leocad – conforms to the free software definition. While I can understand if others believe the promise of the Inform 7 developers, I think it would be unwise to believe anyone regarding similar statements without any set dates. Let me illustrate why: • “Anne Frank”, developer of “Bernd und das Rätsel um Unteralterbach”, had a release roadmap: The web site said that approximately 6 months after the binary release, a GPL source code release would follow. She told me that this was so people would have to play the game themselves instead of reading source code. It did happen – only a few days late. • “notch”, developer of “Minecraft”, wrote he will release source code of his game, “Once sales start dying and a minimum time has passed”: <http://web.archive.org/web/20121014094057/https://minecraft.net/game> Turns out he did not stay true to his words, writing only ”I’m aware this goes against a lot of what I’ve said in public. I have no good response to that.”: <http://notch.net/2014/09/im-leaving-mojang/> This issue is about commitment: Anne did present a statement that was falsifiable, just by observing the web site of her game on a specific date in the future. notch did not – leaving the truth of his statement in limbo until he finally (and, to me, unsurprisingly) chose to lie. (I am aware that Unteralterbach has been discussed, but I think the example fits very well. Please do not discuss the game any further.) Therefore, if the Inform 7 developers do publish a date for a complete source release, I could be willing to trust them. AFAIK they have not. > These do not seem to be packaged in Debian testing: >> > $ for binary in ni inform6 cBlorb; do command-not-found $binary; done >> > ni: command not found >> > inform6: command not found >> > cBlorb: command not found > > > Inform 6 is in Debian already, under package name "inform". It is currently > marked as non-free, probably because it includes a bunch of libraries with > unclear licences. It should really be broken into three packages: the > compiler, the standard library, and additional libraries. The compiler and > the standard library are both available under a DFSG-compatible Licence. > The Debian package is also quite old. If you still want something to work > on Nils, maybe that would be a better option! > > cBlorb is not currently in Debian, but it is open source. Think you for both of these clarifications. They will certainly be relevant when / if the full source code for Inform 7 is released. -- Nils Dagsson Moskopp // erlehmann <http://dieweltistgarnichtso.net>
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