the users are ignorant asses mainly

I consider myself a user, so thanks for that... 😉

But I guess you're right. Judging by most of the reviews at the market, people can be quite offending when they download a free app that doesn't quite work as expected - and sometimes they seem to be expecting a lot. What's the problem with simply uninstalling an app that's broken, after all?

I think it's mostly the people who don't really understand or care to understand computer-like stuff. Mix in some self-entitlement and instant gratification impatience. You can also bet that these people have no idea how complex software is. The user experience says nothing of that.

I bought the AnDOSBOX port. It does work very well. I played Master of Orion on it for a few hours yesterday and it works excellent. It seems to run everything x86 DOSBOX does. But the dynrec is pretty slow. 4000 cycles is about the max even with a 1100MHz Cortex A8. Wimpy ARM CPU, I guess.

I emailed the author about a bug with landscape view and he responded in a few hours that nobody had noticed it until now but it will be fixed. I don't think it's wrong to charge for the port because he has clearly put extra effort in to make it work on Android and on touchscreens. It's his prerogative. It is wrong if he doesn't follow the GPL license though of course.

It's the same as with the iOS port, legally it is ok to sell the port as long as you provide the source (and as noted in this thread, no real delay is allowed). But I don't think it's morally okay to sell the port since the really BIG part of the work has been done by the Dosbox team and the many people who added small things and patches. Yes, the porter DID some work to port it and I believe not a small part, too, but after all he still takes the huge work which is done for free and sells it after giving it a new paint. If he were to give a big percentage of the income generated to the dosbox team it would make it a bit better but still not 100% ok, IMO.

Well what about all of the GOG and Steam games being able to make money solely because of DOSBOX? I've read on here that they contribute little to the project. There is really no expectation for it. Not much different with AnDOSBOX except a game isn't included, but he did rework DOSBOX for the platform.

Open source software provides money making opportunities for a lot of companies and people out there. They just have to provide the proper credit required by whatever license is used.

Well what about all of the GOG and Steam games being able to make money solely because of DOSBOX?

They are providing the sources. I'm not too happy about that, but it's perfectly legal according to the GPL.

but he did rework DOSBOX for the platform.

I doubt that. DOSBox has proven to be portable in lots of ways, so the largest part
is already done anyways. So just telling "i'll upload sources later" so people *have*
to pay for it is unfair.

After some more testing I must say that I don't regret paying for this port. For one thing, I can confirm that the dev responds to emails very quickly. And it works just so well, especially with SVGA games - I can run Warcraft II with sound (8000 cycles) on my SGS, it's great! 😁

swaaye wrote:

Well what about all of the GOG and Steam games being able to make money solely because of DOSBOX? I've read on here that they co […]
Show full quote

Well what about all of the GOG and Steam games being able to make money solely because of DOSBOX? I've read on here that they contribute little to the project. There is really no expectation for it. Not much different with AnDOSBOX except a game isn't included, but he did rework DOSBOX for the platform.[/quotes]
I never wrote that GOG and Steam are doing it right.

As I DID write, I'm sure that he did something to port Dosbox, add some defines and most likely adapted the touch interface, but well, that's about a week, tops a month, of work compared to the years it took to get Dosbox where it is now.
And yes, legally he can sell it. Morally he shouldn't and keep with the spirit of free software...

[quoteOpen source software provides money making opportunities for a lot of companies and people out there. They just have to provide the proper credit required by whatever license is used.

You are wrong. It's not about the credits, it's about making the sources availlable (and not only by request). Credits are good, too but not a requirement.

I know. By credit I did mean source as well. I'm sorry I should have been specific.

if he doesn't release the source his app will be removed from the Android market like numerous other GPL violating programs have been. Google seems to be paying attention to license complaints.

i received the sourcecode of it. It will be released to the public in a few days.

Qbix,

They denied my request for the source code with the following reason

"From our record, the transaction with that order number is cancelled.

As we stated in the first email, you will need to pay us the fee before you can become our user and obtain the source code. Please note that simply get a hand to use our program doesn't mean the person is "user" of our program. For details, please refer to gpl faq."

I previously purchased and refunded the app back when it never mentioned the GPL. Are they supposed to provide the source in this instance?

I received my copy of the source code less than an hour after e-mailing the developer with my non-cancelled market order number.

As far as I know, that bring him in compliance with the GPL?

Also, I don't want to come across as a jerk, but don't ask me for a copy of the sourcecode; the developer has done quite a good job on this port, and he's released several updates over the past few weeks. I personally don't have a problem with him making a few bucks.

Fortunately for those who don't want to spring $4, aDosBox is making some good progress as well, after a LONG hiatus.

If I know my GPL he has to provide the sourcecode either way not just for paying customers.

Only customers. The people who received the modified binaries.

But those are free to publish the sources as they want.

Ok, I see

Varka wrote:

I personally don't have a problem with him making a few bucks.

True. After all, nobody's being forced to pay for it. Of course I like free apps better because they're - well - free. 🤑
But as I said before (and Varka did above), this port is really good. IMO it's by far the best, the only one that runs Warcraft II, Ultima Underworld 2 and such with sound at good speed. O.K., controls are a bit awkward in UW, but still... 🙄

the only one that runs Warcraft II, Ultima Underworld 2 and such with sound at good speed.

Do you think that's his merit, or that he's just using the nicely-portable features
that dosbox already provides (yes i'm hinting at the recompiler)?

I hope I didn't give the impression of being ungrateful to the primary DosBox developers.

Dosbox is absolutely the greatest piece of software I've ever used, and the developer of the Android version, as far as I'm concerned, is riding on the coat-tails of greater men.

HOWEVER...

I'm also very grateful to the developer of anDosbox for enabling my classic gaming fetish on-the-go. Frankly, droiddos and adosbox are not even in the same ballpark (YET) for usability and stability...

wd wrote:

Do you think that's his merit, or that he's just using the nicely-portable features that dosbox already provides (yes i'm hinting at the recompiler)?

Of course all credit goes to the DOSBox developers in the first place, I thought that was self-evident. All I'm saying is that AnDOSBox is the fastest, most stable and feature-laden port atm. The locnet team have simply done the best job so far in porting the existing features over to android.

Frankly I think it's neat how the Android Market is motivating programmers to fill voids because they can gain a little something for their work. The prices are so low as to not be a big deal at all to consumers but still do offer some incentive to the expert folk with skills.

Unfortunately there is a lot of utter garbage on there too, and there are people violating open source licenses. But the Android Market has the refund option, feedback, and Google will pull software that violates licenses.