There Is No Doubt, Steam Is Coming To Linux!

[eXlin]

No harm

I think if valve is not liking what we do they would simply drop linux clien't from servers (so we can't hack updated version) and simply give client's us when it's ready for publishing/beta testing.

But seriously, can you seriously claim that if valve put's client files to public servers they would expect that we wouldn't try to hack it to get it working? Or speculating that there is client coming to linux too.
Who know's maybe that is valve's way to see if there is interest for linux client. And if now just put press release that those client's was just for internal testing purposes and we don't have intentions to make linux client available for a while.

[j883376]

I think if valve is not liking what we do they would simply drop linux clien't from servers (so we can't hack updated version) and simply give client's us when it's ready for publishing/beta testing.

But seriously, can you seriously claim that if valve put's client files to public servers they would expect that we wouldn't try to hack it to get it working? Or speculating that there is client coming to linux too.
Who know's maybe that is valve's way to see if there is interest for linux client. And if now just put press release that those client's was just for internal testing purposes and we don't have intentions to make linux client available for a while.

That was my guess too. Build excitement by putting up semi-nonfunctional binaries and let the Linux community hack away at it. It's definitely making a big buzz and getting them lots of free publicity.

[eXlin]

Cracks

And this kind of hacking is making far less harm than ones who are making cracks/game fixes.

[j883376]

And this kind of hacking is making far less harm than ones who are making cracks/game fixes.

Yes. People don't seem to understand the meaning of the word hack. It's not inherently a malicious thing.

[mastertheknife]

For those that think i or others in the channel hacked steam, Please see my post, its in the news thread, here is a link for it:

http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23522&page=4

[RussianNeuroMancer]

Not all parts of EULA's may be legally enforcible. You can't just write any bit of language in a EULA and be able to enforce it down the road.
Step-Saver_Data_Systems,_Inc._v._Wyse_Technology
What's most important in this case IMO would be that we haven't had to click on an "I Agree" link, so the enforceability would be unsure at best.
I am not a lawyer though, so take that as you may.

Okay, then anyone, who don't know English can use source code most of GPL applications in BSD-like way?

[RussianNeuroMancer]

Not all parts of EULA's may be legally enforcible. You can't just write any bit of language in a EULA and be able to enforce it down the road.
Step-Saver_Data_Systems,_Inc._v._Wyse_Technology
What's most important in this case IMO would be that we haven't had to click on an "I Agree" link, so the enforceability would be unsure at best.
I am not a lawyer though, so take that as you may.

Okay, then anyone, who not read license agreement of GPL applications can use source code most of this applications in BSD-like way?

[Remco]

Okay, then anyone, who not read license agreement of GPL applications can use source code most of this applications in BSD-like way?

Copyright law is different from contract law. Without a copyright notice, you're not allowed to distribute the application at all. Whether you're allowed to use it is legally unclear, but it won't be difficult to convince a judge that it was reasonable to think that you were allowed to use it.

Contract law is where the EULAs come in. You can say a lot of things in a regular signed or otherwise agreed to contract, but not everything. And you can say even less in a EULA that was never agreed to.

This is also why you don't see a license agreement screen when you install a free software application. It's not a contract.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

Okeay, then all, what you say, means that we can share patched version of steamui.so, right?

[Remco]

Okeay, then all, what you say, means that we can share patched version of steamui.so, right?

No. That's a derivative work of steamui.so. If they didn't give you the right to distribute it via a copyright notice or a contract, then you can only keep it to yourself.

The patch itself is trivial and not copyrightable.