New distribution system for Jotego cores

[FoxbatStargazer]

I would just like the arcade organizer to categorize the jotega beta cores and especially the patreon cores. Keep them out of the main list for now. Just a CPS2 folder alone would be a big help.

[zakk4223]

I have a Capcom - CPS2 folder created by arcade organizer with all the CPS2 mras in it?

[akeley]

Is there a list of the currently "locked" cores somewhere? I don't mind sorting them manually.

[Hodor]

Is there a list of the currently "locked" cores somewhere? I don't mind sorting them manually.

Only System 16A/16B at the moment.

[Spark_Tek]

Is there any way to just opt into the Open Beta stuff, but not the Closed Betas?

I don't want to start a game and find out it's locked only when it has loaded. It's frustrating.

[zakk4223]

Is there any way to just opt into the Open Beta stuff, but not the Closed Betas?

I don't want to start a game and find out it's locked only when it has loaded. It's frustrating.

Nope. He rearranged his releases so that jtbin contains both open and closed betas, and 'jtstable' contains public cores but at a slower cadence than 'jtbin'.

Previously everyone just pulled from jtbin, but now the default is jtstable. Everyone WANTS the open beta cores though, so I bet a large percentage of people opt into it, and experience the issue you are having.

When it was initially said things were being made opt-in, I fully expected a 'jtpatreon' repo to show up that people could opt into. But that's not what we got. Oh well.

[Spark_Tek]

Is there any way to just opt into the Open Beta stuff, but not the Closed Betas?

I don't want to start a game and find out it's locked only when it has loaded. It's frustrating.

Nope. He rearranged his releases so that jtbin contains both open and closed betas, and 'jtstable' contains public cores but at a slower cadence than 'jtbin'.

Previously everyone just pulled from jtbin, but now the default is jtstable. Everyone WANTS the open beta cores though, so I bet a large percentage of people opt into it, and experience the issue you are having.

When it was initially said things were being made opt-in, I fully expected a 'jtpatreon' repo to show up that people could opt into. But that's not what we got. Oh well.

I understand Jotego's need for support, but this implementation is not a good user experience. It's rather off-putting that they're using bundling like a cable company does.

So alright, how do I un-pollute my SD card then? Do I have to reinstall everything?

[bazza_12]

just delete the jts16.rfb and jts16a2.rbf files from the arcade/core
then Action Fighter (World, S16A) [FD1089A 317-0018].mra
Alex Kidd The Lost Stars (Set 2, World, S16A) [No Protection].mra
Body Slam (World, S16) [8751 317-0015].mra
Fantasy Zone (Rev A, World, S16A) [No Protection].mra
Shinobi (Set 6, World, S16A) [No Protection].mra from the arcade folder.

once you've done that.. if you want to, delete the organizer folder and re-run the organizer script. it will re-create the organizer folder without those mra's

[Spark_Tek]

Appreciate it. I realize it shouldn't bother me so much, but of course it had to show up while I had company over. It was their favorite game and it was awkward.

I appreciate Jotego and their work, just wish the preview status was more visible to avoid frustration/embarrassment.

[pgimeno]

Let me see if I understand the situation.

Jotego is taking GPL2-licensed code, linking it with his own code, and distributing the resulting binaries without providing the full source.

Is that assessment correct?

[Gryzor]

Is there any way to just opt into the Open Beta stuff, but not the Closed Betas?

I don't want to start a game and find out it's locked only when it has loaded. It's frustrating.

Nope. He rearranged his releases so that jtbin contains both open and closed betas, and 'jtstable' contains public cores but at a slower cadence than 'jtbin'.

Previously everyone just pulled from jtbin, but now the default is jtstable. Everyone WANTS the open beta cores though, so I bet a large percentage of people opt into it, and experience the issue you are having.

When it was initially said things were being made opt-in, I fully expected a 'jtpatreon' repo to show up that people could opt into. But that's not what we got. Oh well.

I understand Jotego's need for support, but this implementation is not a good user experience. It's rather off-putting that they're using bundling like a cable company does.

So alright, how do I un-pollute my SD card then? Do I have to reinstall everything?

So Jose (and Alexey, Sergey and so many others) is pretty much god's gift to retrogaming, but you liken his beta versions to pollution...? C'mon, you're better than that.

Just tell your friends that you don't support the work that's being done and they'll understand why you can't show off the full potential of your MiSTer yet. There's nothing awkward about it whatsoever.

[aberu]

Let me see if I understand the situation.

Jotego is taking GPL2-licensed code, linking it with his own code, and distributing the resulting binaries without providing the full source.

Is that assessment correct?

He uses his own framework --> https://github.com/jotego/jtframe - and it's open sourced completely. So that assessment is not correct.

EDIT: And yes he has some stuff modified in his framework from Sorgelig's and others' code (as does the MiSTer project from MiST before it), but this is irrelevant since the framework is open source.

[bazza_12]

it's not a question of pollution (badly chosen word) it's a beta version which isn't fully available unless you're a patreon of JT.. (which is fair enough) however, if you aren't a patreon these unplayable mra's/zips and rbf files take up room on your sdcard and appear in games lists. no one is devaluing the incredible work JT, Sorg and others are doing.

[robinsonb5]

but this is irrelevant since the framework is open source.

That's not strictly true. If you distribute a binary which contains or links with GPLed code (and you don't have some other license to that code - either by negotiating with its original authors, or by having written it entirely yourself and thus being free to relicense it however you wish) - then you're duty bound to make the corresponding source available to anyone who wants it. ("The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means all the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to control those activities." -- GPL 3.0)

The "beta test" argument that's sometimes put forward doesn't hold a lot of water, and it's clearly circumventing the intent of the GPL even if the argument itself were ever found to be valid. (I don't *think* that argument's been tested in court as yet?)
Nonetheless, Jotego does do amazing work, and is clearly acting in good faith, with an established history of releasing source once he's happy with the cores - so there's little to be gained by making waves about it.

And let's face it, the only way to enforce the GPL is legal action. I can't imagine any of the authors of the GPLed code in question caring enough to take it that far!

[aberu]

but this is irrelevant since the framework is open source.

That's not strictly true. If you distribute a binary which contains or links with GPLed code (and you don't have some other license to that code - either by negotiating with its original authors, or by having written it entirely yourself and thus being free to relicense it however you wish) - then you're duty bound to make the corresponding source available to anyone who wants it. ("The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means all the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to control those activities." -- GPL 3.0)

The "beta test" argument that's sometimes put forward doesn't hold a lot of water, and it's clearly circumventing the intent of the GPL even if the argument itself were ever found to be valid. (I don't *think* that argument's been tested in court as yet?)
Nonetheless, Jotego does do amazing work, and is clearly acting in good faith, with an established history of releasing source once he's happy with the cores - so there's little to be gained by making waves about it.

And let's face it, the only way to enforce the GPL is legal action. I can't imagine any of the authors of the GPLed code in question caring enough to take it that far!

All good points. Almost all beta cores with patreons are this way however, so your last sentence is spot on!

[Spark_Tek]

Nope. He rearranged his releases so that jtbin contains both open and closed betas, and 'jtstable' contains public cores but at a slower cadence than 'jtbin'.

Previously everyone just pulled from jtbin, but now the default is jtstable. Everyone WANTS the open beta cores though, so I bet a large percentage of people opt into it, and experience the issue you are having.

When it was initially said things were being made opt-in, I fully expected a 'jtpatreon' repo to show up that people could opt into. But that's not what we got. Oh well.

I understand Jotego's need for support, but this implementation is not a good user experience. It's rather off-putting that they're using bundling like a cable company does.

So alright, how do I un-pollute my SD card then? Do I have to reinstall everything?

So Jose (and Alexey, Sergey and so many others) is pretty much god's gift to retrogaming, but you liken his beta versions to pollution...? C'mon, you're better than that.

Just tell your friends that you don't support the work that's being done and they'll understand why you can't show off the full potential of your MiSTer yet. There's nothing awkward about it whatsoever.

I liken unplayable games as pollution to my playable games list. You'll note I even said they did great work and I appreciated them.

"Better than that" Lol. Stop trying to make a big shaming deal out of not liking something. This isn't twitter.

Please don't talk to me again please unless you have solutions to my questions. It'll be better to not clog up the board with nonsense.

[robinsonb5]

All good points. Almost all beta cores with patreons are this way however, so your last sentence is spot on!

The other interesting point which is often lost, is that if you distribute a binary containing GPLed code to to a limited group of people such as Patreon supporters, then you're only obligated to supply the corresponding source upon request to those people. There's no obligation to make it more widely available. You're not, however, allowed to prevent those people from distributing it further.

If a binary is available for download from a public server, however, then by the letter of the GPL the corresponding source should be made available for public download too.

[pgimeno]

I do oppose the practice of releasing closed source binaries that include GPL code. The GPL was designed to prevent this kind of practice.

The cores are available to anyone via update_all and Jotego's binaries repository, see https://github.com/jotego/jtbin

I've sent Jotego the following PM:

Source code request

I'd like to exercise my rights, under the GPLv2 license, to receive the full source code for the core that is being publicly distributed from here:

https://github.com/jotego/jtbin/blob/ma ... 210702.rbf

Thanks in advance,

Pedro Gimeno Fortea

[jotego]

Sorry, I don't come here often.

I am the owner of my code, the license does not apply to me, as you can imagine. My cores use mostly my own intellectual property, with the exception of some of the CPUs. These CPUs have permissive licenses (not GPL ones). In cases like the M68000 core, which is GPL3, I have expressed permission by the author to use the code as I see fit.

I have published all the source code for all my cores as soon as it was decent. If you don't like my way of working, don't support me, but let me work in peace.

As I said, I don't visit this forum often, so don't expect a reply soon.