Hypothetical Question

Would it be within my rights as a BMax owner to allow others via a network connection to write or send BMax code to be compiled on my machine or a server of mine? i.e. I would not be distributing Blitzmax itself in any way. Would it make a difference if I claimed sole ownership of the resulting .exe's (or DLL's, as it would be in this case.)

See, I'm tossing around the idea of using BMax DLL's in my MUD server to provide scripting like power and flexibility, but I can't really expect to ask world builders (who'd be working for free) to go and purchase BMax. I'd suggest and recommend it, but really don't want to have to require that just for someone to help with world building. Anyhow, the DLL's created would be relatively useless outside of the MUD server itself, and as I mentioned it's quite possible that I'd have any builders sign a contract stating that any work provided becomes my property (to prevent them from demanding that the sections of world they built or scripts they implemented be removed should they leave.)

I know there are other alternatives and also (free) scripting solutions (I still might end up using Lua), but I'm just curious about this particular scenario and if it's legally (and morally) okay.

I don't see why not... Just respect what M.S. thinks about it... IE. Ask him.

I wouldn't think so, no.

Use Lua instead.

Whether it's legally okay depends on what the court decides. Whether it's morally okay, depends on your morals.

Interesting, sounds like BRL need to come up with a distributed multi-user licence.

Hello.

Most (but not all) user licenses are based upon concurrency of usage - ie, you can use a system so long as no-one else is using it at the same time.

If you could guarantee that only one user would be able to access the system at a time then you'd be on firmer ground because it would be the same as those users sending you the source code to compile for them. However...trust of that sort is a BIG ask as it could easily be abused.

I would say it's unlikely you're going to get the go-ahead to do it unless, as Grey suggests, BRL come up with a multi-user license.

Goodbye.