On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 4:41 PM, Curtis Olson wrote: > Ok, Stuart and Martin make a fair point. Lets move forward with putting > something onto the main FlightGear page. Stuart, you mentioned a faq you > had drafted? > Thanks, > Curt.
Hi Curt, The latest version of the FAQ (v1.4) is below. This was agreed on this list back on 26 December, 2009, with a fair bit of discussion, so it should still be valid. It is probably worth updating it with the other names of FPS (FlightPro Simulator) Amusingly, while some of the statements were time specific (new release in the new year...), they mostly still apply. There is a version on the wiki, but it has since been modified by various people to something more emotional and prejorative, which nicely illustrates the point Martin and I were making :) -Stuart FlightGear Flight Pro Sim Statement (v1.4): As many people will be aware, there is a new flight simulator product that is being widely and actively marketed at the moment - Flight Pro Sim. As it is almost entirely based on FlightGear, there is some confusion between the two. To help provide some clarity, and answer some common questions, we (the core FlightGear development team) felt it was appropriate to make a statement, and provide a FAQ. FlightGear is an open-source flight simulator that was started in 1996. It is released under the GNU General Public License v2, and as such, it is free to use, modify and distribute with few restrictions. It has been developed with the collaboration of a large number of individuals over the last 12 years. FlightGear can be downloaded at no cost from http://www.flightgear.org. Flight Pro Sim is a commercial product very heavily based on FlightGear. Investigation by a number of the FlightGear developers has found no difference between this and the FlightGear v1.9.1 release other than a change of name. Flight Pro Sim is in no way endorsed or supported by the core FlightGear development team. Given the similarities between Flight Pro Sim and FlightGear, we would recommend that prospective buyers download FlightGear for free and satisfy themselves that Flight Pro Sim provides worthwhile value for money before purchasing it. FAQ: Q: What is the difference between FlightGear and Flight Pro Sim? A: As far as we have been able to make out, the only difference between FlightGear v1.9.1 and Flight Pro Sim is a change in name throughout the software, and the fact that you have to pay for it. Q: Is it legal for the makers of Flight Pro Sim to simply re-brand FlightGear ? A: Under the GNU GPL v2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html), this is legal, provided that they distribute the source code (or make it available). We do not know if this is the case or not. Q: Is it legal to sell a copy of FlightGear, whether re-branded or not ? A: Yes, provided the seller is in compliance with a number of conditions detailed in the GPL. In fact, those interested in receiving a DVD containing FlightGear may do so through the main FlightGear website, and directly contribute to the project (though they may want to wait for the upcoming release in the new year). Q: Has Flight Pro Sim paid any money to FlightGear for the rights to the program ? A: No. No such payment is required, as FlightGear is GPL software. Q: Why do the FlightGear developers allow this ? A: The freedom to modify and enhance FlightGear is a core part of the project, and of open-source in general. Restricting the modifications that are allowed and what people can do with the software goes against that ethos. Q: Is there any relationship between the makers of Flight Pro Sim and the FlightGear Project? A: No. Q: Has Flight Pro Sim contributed to the FlightGear project at all ? A: No. Q: I have purchased Flight Pro Sim. Can I get a refund ? A: That is something you will have to take up with the distributors of Flight Pro Sim. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beautiful is writing same markup. Internet Explorer 9 supports standards for HTML5, CSS3, SVG 1.1, ECMAScript5, and DOM L2 & L3. Spend less time writing and rewriting code and more time creating great experiences on the web. Be a part of the beta today http://p.sf.net/sfu/msIE9-sfdev2dev _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list Flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-devel
