From ddc9952d79a30824be1b4d56dba2c42c2724f2ed Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "B. Watson" Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2021 16:51:49 -0400 Subject: Reorganize and expand docs --- LICENSE.txt | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 39 insertions(+) create mode 100644 LICENSE.txt (limited to 'LICENSE.txt') diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c3d426 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,39 @@ +License Info for Atari 8-bit Taipan +----------------------------------- + +The legal status of this is quite murky. The original game is still +copyrighted, though quite a few clones of it have been made for +various platforms over the years with no complaints from the copyright +holder (whoever that actually is). + +This Atari port includes font and graphics data ripped straight from +the original Apple game, plus more font data ripped from the Atari 800's +OS ROM. + +The Linux port of taipan, according to its .lsm file, is GPL (version +uspecified). It's very obviously a derivative work of the Apple +BASIC version, so I'm not sure it was really legal to release as +GPL. But it's been out there for decades unchallenged... My C code is +definitely a derivative work of the Linux port, so it's GPL also. The +assembly code and host tools (convfont, mkcart, etc) are my own work, +and I release them under the GPL (version 2). + +I'm not sure how to handle binary redistributions. Most people are +just going to grab the taipan.xex file and use it, and it'll end up in +various Atari archives. If I *don't* provide a binary, *nobody but me* +will ever play this game (seriously, there aren't a lot of Atari 8-bit +gamers who also would know how to set up a build environment for cc65, +or even be interested in trying). + +Since the Atari is such a limited platform, I can't really include +e.g. clickable (or even copy/pastable) links pointing to the +source. Including the text of the GPL in the binary is impossible, +or at least impractical: the GPLv2 license is around 18KB in size, or +approximately half the usable memory in an Atari, or 2/3 the size +of the existing Taipan binary. + +I hate to be this way but... I'm going to just allow binary +redistribution, unless/until the author of the Linux Taipan C game +complains about it. And when he does, I'm going to ask him if he +actually got permission from the author of the Apple BASIC version to +release his derivative work as GPL. -- cgit v1.2.3