Id on Steam allegations a "dead issue"

via Computer and Video Games


Allegations of unlawful use of free technology in id Software titles on Steam are now a "dead issue," an id rep told Next-Gen.biz.

Message board users over the weekend found that older id games on Valve Software's Steam digital distribution platform used the x86 emulator DOSBox.

But the supposed issue arose when users found that id and Valve apparently didn't give credit to the DOSbox Team, which developed the technology that allows old DOS-based games to run on today's computers.

According to id, it's already water under the bridge.

"It's a dead issue," the id rep said in a phone interview. "...As soon as this came to id's attention, it was all immediately corrected." She offered no further comment.

Certain text files referring to DOSBox and licensing terms were apparently not initially included with games that utilized the software when id games were made available on Steam this past Friday.

However, Next-Gen can confirm via purchased id Steam software that DOSBox's Readme file and the GNU General Public License documentation are now included in the program files.

A DOSBox Team member confirmed via the group's official message boards that id-and anyone else-is allowed to use the free software and charge for it. But there are caveats.

The actual license reads: "Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things."

"...If you distribute copies of such a program ["free" software], whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights."

id announced during Quakecon on Friday that it would be offering nearly all of its games via Valve's Steam service.