Licensing Mojo

Monkey Forums/Monkey Programming/Licensing Mojo

c.k.(Posted 2011) [#1]
Docs say, "Mojo is currently freely available for the HTML5 target platform for non-commercial use, and may be licensed from Blitz Research Ltd for commercial use on the HTML5, GLFW, Flash, XNA, Android and iOS target platforms."

Is this true as I interpret it? If I want to distribute an application that uses mojo, I need to enter into a separate agreement with Blitz Research Ltd?


slenkar(Posted 2011) [#2]
i think it just means you have to pay the 120 dollars to buy monkey


marksibly(Posted 2011) [#3]
Hi,

> i think it just means you have to pay the 120 dollars to buy monkey

Yes, Mojo is the 'commercial' part of Monkey and is what you're effectively buying for your 120 bucks.

Once you've purchased it, you're free to use it to compile and distribute/sell stuff you write that uses Mojo.

However, you may not redistribute the Mojo source code itself.


visionastral(Posted 2011) [#4]
> However, you may not redistribute the Mojo source code itself.

You mean we can't redistribute the source code that was generated by Monkey?
Let's say I made an xna engine in monkey and want to license it someone else. I can't give him the xna source code generated by Monkey?
(I'm not planning to do something like this, I just want to know want can and can't be done with the code.)


Hima(Posted 2011) [#5]
The source code generated by Monkey is not Mojo. The license talk about the Mojo module, the on you import when create Monkey application ( and probably the target translater). The source code after you generated by Monkey into a specific platform is no longer Mojo, hence you can redistribute it if you want to.

This also mean that Monkey, by itself without Mojo, is free. You can use the free HTML5 version to write your own target. And if you don't use anything in Mojo at all, then you don't have to pay.


therevills(Posted 2011) [#6]
The generated code will still include native Mojo code if you import Mojo into your original Monkey code.

I would say wait till Mark replies to you again.


Hima(Posted 2011) [#7]
Hmmm, that's true. Whether the generated source code still consider as Mojo or not would be better answered by Mark himself.


Gerry Quinn(Posted 2011) [#8]
Speaking of the source generated by Monkey, I know there are bits of it that are left alone between builds, but is there any chance Monkey could be given a switch to generate a complete compilable output, e.g. in Flash it would leave not only the .as but the data directory so that the whole thing can be modified and compiled outside of trans?


Hima(Posted 2011) [#9]
@Gerry Quinn
Considering that is outside the scope of the current thread's topic, I think you'll find more answers by creating a separate thread.


frank(Posted 2012) [#10]
Sorry for reviving this thread, but it hasn't been answered and I wanted to open a new one to get clarity about the license ... Could someone shed some light? I would assume (but that's assuming) that after compilation you can distribute it however you see fit if you bought a license, you just cannot distribute the Monkey language code version of Mojo. That would be logical.

However, there are still vaguenesses there; for instance, lets say a friend of mine does not have a license and I have. He makes something with the free version and sends me the .monkey file, I compile it for, say, iOS and send the result back. Bit contrived, but is it allowed? Is there a clear license we can check ? :)


Soap(Posted 2012) [#11]
Yes, that would be allowed but that is not encouraged for obvious reasons. There is no difference between doing that and distributing your own compiled products to end users directly. The same thing is possible with nearly any other development tool ever made.

Monkey is inexpensive and anyone using it even for free distribution on the other platforms should buy it to support Mark. I have purchased many Monkey licenses for our dev team members and friends - not even sure how many at this point. :P

Once you compile it (assuming you own it, own a legal license to the code and or have permission) you are the one who says how the product you have compiled is distributed. If you are not distributing the Mojo source then you are clear - period.

If the other person you are compiling for is using the free version they will obviously not be able to develop or test for the latest features, so they would need to buy to do that. Please encourage people to buy Monkey!


frank(Posted 2012) [#12]
I do :) That's why I ask what the limits are and how the licensing works.


slenkar(Posted 2012) [#13]
if it was a big issue then trans could obfuscate the code, but it doesnt, so its probably not a big issue


skid(Posted 2012) [#14]
Intermediate build files of mojo projects will include proprietary regions. They should not be distributed.

HTML5 target code is covered with a non-commercial exception.


frank(Posted 2012) [#15]
@skid Ok, but if you have a license? I don't carea bout intermediate; only the end result glfw, ios, xna, android etc.


Soap(Posted 2012) [#16]
You can distribute the compiled projects however you want.

Intermediate means: when you compile from Monkey to some targets to create a target specific project which must be compiled again using dev tools related to that target. Those can have proprietary regions which count as Mojo's source (found in: modules/mojo/native), so you can't distribute them, but you can distribute the final product compiled from those intermediate files: exe, ipa, apk, etc.

If you're sharing those intermediate files on something like Dropbox while working on your game then just make sure everyone involved has a license to Monkey. You can distribute the intermediate files minus the Mojo specific parts to anyone. There shouldn't be a need to though. If you want to distribute things then distribute the .monkey source files for your project and let people compile it for their needs.

The question is: Can I distribute compiled projects?
The answer is: Yes.

Everything else is irrelevant (like the fact you could compile source by other people and give them the compiled projects), and if there were exceptions they would be dumb and make me like Monkey less.