Unfortunately having access to all the pixels that make up a movie or all the words that make up a book doesn’t make either free, and the same thing applies to code depending on licenses
For example Unreal Engine is source available. Can’t redistribute it, can’t fork it and make a new version for the public. Still need to pay Epic when you release a game and make revenue over one million.
In addition to the other comment, a lot of companies typically sell support for their software, not the software itself. That counts for a lot in the business world
Free [open source] software, you mean.
It’s more about software freedom than mere access to the code.
Open source implies libre. It’s arbitrary I know. What you’re referring to is “source available”. Like TF2, Proton products, etc.
If you have access to the code, why is it not free?
Unfortunately having access to all the pixels that make up a movie or all the words that make up a book doesn’t make either free, and the same thing applies to code depending on licenses
Thank you :)
Some open source projects sell recompiled and signed copies and if you want it free, you can compile from source.
It’s a convenience thing…
For example Unreal Engine is source available. Can’t redistribute it, can’t fork it and make a new version for the public. Still need to pay Epic when you release a game and make revenue over one million.
License. The owner of the source can still limit what you can (legally) do with it.
Which raises the question: Is Karl Marx an MIT or a GPL man?
Under Communism, probably public domain. Under Capitalism definitely GPL.
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
In addition to the other comment, a lot of companies typically sell support for their software, not the software itself. That counts for a lot in the business world
Free doesn’t mean free. It means free.
Yeah yeah I know, I just didn’t remember what free actually meant