Commercial games and SDL

SDL Development
1

I’ve been reading the licensing info on the use of SDL and intend on using
it in an upcoming commerical game. I’m moderately confused by the
licensing. If I read things correctly, I need to include object files so
the end user can relink the application with a different/newer version of
SDL. But later it states that the most common way to be compliant is to
dynamically link to SDL (ala .DLL in my case) and include the sources to
SDL. Does this mean that if I have SDL as a separate .DLL and don’t
release objects/source code to my game that that would be compliant as
well?

Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.

I also would like to promote SDL via a logo or something on the splash
screen when the game starts. Is there an official logo I should use for
this?

And I definitely will be donating to the SDL cause once the game ships.
Thanks everyone!

–>Neil-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neil Bradley What are burger lovers saying
Synthcom Systems, Inc. about the new BK Back Porch Griller?
ICQ #29402898 “It tastes like it came off the back porch.” - Me

2

Yep.On Thu, Jul 25, 2002 at 01:50:13PM -0700, Neil Bradley wrote:

SDL. Does this mean that if I have SDL as a separate .DLL and don’t
release objects/source code to my game that that would be compliant as
well?
Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.

–
Matthew Miller @Matthew_Miller http://www.mattdm.org/
Boston University Linux ------> http://linux.bu.edu/

3

I’ve been reading the licensing info on the use of SDL and intend on using
it in an upcoming commerical game. I’m moderately confused by the
licensing.

It’s a GNU license - what’d you expect? =)

If I read things correctly, I need to include object files so
the end user can relink the application with a different/newer version of
SDL. But later it states that the most common way to be compliant is to
dynamically link to SDL (ala .DLL in my case) and include the sources to
SDL. Does this mean that if I have SDL as a separate .DLL and don’t
release objects/source code to my game that that would be compliant as
well?

You need only link it dynamically. Using SDL.DLL or equivalent mechanism
on other operating systems is sufficient to satisfy requirements of the
LGPL. (I was confused about this for a long time, so I can understand why
others may be as well…)

Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.

As long as people can find them on your site or on the CD, that’s all you
need to worry about.

I also would like to promote SDL via a logo or something on the splash
screen when the game starts. Is there an official logo I should use for
this?

I do not know of any high-resolution logos useful for printing or splash
logos, however the one on the website may work as a base if your artists
don’t mind scaling it. They might have needed to touch it up a bit for
anti-aliasing purposes anyway.

And I definitely will be donating to the SDL cause once the game ships.
Thanks everyone!

Thanks, on behalf of all of us using SDL! Sam largely pays for expenses
related to SDL out of his pockets. While I’m sure he makes more than some
of us do, hosting and developing something as big as SDL is not trivial on
the pocketbook.On Thu, Jul 25, 2002 at 01:50:13PM -0700, Neil Bradley wrote:

–
Joseph Carter If this sig were funny…

change all cvar->value = X to use Cvar_Set()
that didn’t happen in oldtree
Actually, it did.
yeah - two weeks later.

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4

At 13:50 25/07/02 -0700, you wrote:

I’ve been reading the licensing info on the use of SDL and intend on using
it in an upcoming commerical game. I’m moderately confused by the
licensing. If I read things correctly, I need to include object files so
the end user can relink the application with a different/newer version of
SDL. But later it states that the most common way to be compliant is to
dynamically link to SDL (ala .DLL in my case) and include the sources to
SDL. Does this mean that if I have SDL as a separate .DLL and don’t
release objects/source code to my game that that would be compliant as
well?

You got it, all you need to do is dynamically link to SDL (ala .dll) and
then provide the source for SDL (that you use) on your website or
distribution method (CD/Download zip from site) and you will be compliant
with the LGPL. I am unsure as to if linking to libsdl.org is enough, maybe
someone could fill us in on this?

Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.

Its a must for LGPL :slight_smile:

I also would like to promote SDL via a logo or something on the splash
screen when the game starts. Is there an official logo I should use for
this?

As said in previous post, you could use the SDL logo on the libsdl.org
website. A good splash logo was talked about along time ago but nobody
ever got round to doing one. If you do, please submit it :slight_smile:

And I definitely will be donating to the SDL cause once the game ships.

Now thats a good idea. Always support your base :slight_smile: Just the website
hosting costs money and we all thank Sam for what he has done so far and
everyone else who has submitted bugs/patches/improvements/documentation.

Thanks everyone!
–>Neil

Well, we also thank you for supporting SDL. The more that use SDL, the
more SDL will be used. The more SDL is used, the better it becomes.

Take care,

Si.

5

hello there, that’s my first message that enters the brave world of the SDL
community. but I was just a little confused…

Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.

As long as people can find them on your site or on the CD, that’s all you
need to worry about.

does this mean that any game written using SDL has to be open-source?!—
http://www.freemail.gr - ??? ??? ??? ???.

6

No. It’s LGPL, not GPL. You need to include the source to SDL (or provide it
in some way), but not necessarily the source to your own program.On Fri, Jul 26, 2002 at 12:53:33AM +0300, George wrote:

Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.
As long as people can find them on your site or on the CD, that’s all you
need to worry about.
does this mean that any game written using SDL has to be open-source?!

–
Matthew Miller @Matthew_Miller http://www.mattdm.org/
Boston University Linux ------> http://linux.bu.edu/

7

George wrote:

hello there, that’s my first message that enters the brave world of the SDL
community. but I was just a little confused…

Including the sources to the version of SDL that I link with is a given.

As long as people can find them on your site or on the CD, that’s all you
need to worry about.

does this mean that any game written using SDL has to be open-source?!

The game does not have to be Open Source, but you do have to provide the
source for the SDL libraries at the version you are distributing it’s
DLLs with your game.

RK.