Bug#593339: RFP: freeorion -- FreeOrion is a free, open source, turn-based space empire and galactic conquest computer game
On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 02:57:56PM +0400, Roman V. Nikolaev wrote:
> Package name: freeorion
> URL: http://www.freeorion.org
> License: GPL 2
I investigated this, and here are my findings:
* it needs two unpackaged libraries:
+ libgigi -- seems straightforward, and with no other likely users, there
shouldn't be any need to bother with a stable ABI
+ bullet -- still not in Debian, but with existing packages floating
around, it can't be that hard to sanitize
* it requires specific graphics cards, failing badly if they are not
present, with a segfault rather than proper error handling
* [a show stopper] it requires Nvidia's CG Toolkit -- non-free
non-distributable. The upstream is in love in that piece of crock, and
declares it is and should be mandatory.
So here it is, a GPLed project hosted by SourceForge linked against that
thing. I wish someone could diplomatically talk to the lead dev about this.
I guess there was no relicensing among other project members either, and
with 16 different committers in a 7 years old project, they were not asked
about dropping "free" from "freeorion".
If a hammer is needed, contacting SourceForge asking for removal of
undistributable binaries could be one.
For nicer arguments, you could mention that it stops portability to anything
but Windows/Linux i386/amd64 -- while any new platform these days is on arm.
And that an absolute dependency on fancy 3D texture shaders for a 2D
interface is pretty weird...
I personally lack the tiniest bit of diplomatic skills, I would probably
hurt our cause by merely opening my mouth :p
--
1KB // Microsoft corollary to Hanlon's razor:
// Never attribute to stupidity what can be
// adequately explained by malice.
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