genuine question (out of curiosity, not necessarily a desire to actually do this): what is the policy for using Tux the penguin as a cameo in a video game? do i need to credit someone explicitly - if so, whom? do i need to buy a license or pay someone royalties? does the game need to be FOSS? (doubtless it'd be considered bad form for the game not to at least have a Linux port)

@typhlosion

gosh i never thought about who owns the copyright on tux. so what if the specific code used for tux's character was open source but not the rest of the game, would that count?

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@rezzish i don't *think* the game needs to be FOSS in order to depict Tux, because apparently TF2 gave away an ingame Tux doll to Linux players once, but maybe that was a special case or something

@typhlosion

i think how it works is you put tux in your game, then linus torvalds emails you in all caps telling you how that's not at all what tux is for and you don't even know how to make video games

@rezzish maybe i should make a crossover fighting game featuring a bunch of software mascots and characters. Tux, the GNU gnu, Clippy, and the BSD Daemon should be enough to net me hatemail from a dozen or so different people

@rezzish Duke from Java, Wilber from GIMP, and Bonzi Buddy available as DLC

@Goldkin i was mainly focusing on inclusions that might make people upset at me, in the context of the joke. but yes, if i actually did this i'd definitely include Konqi

@Goldkin ... assuming i can get permission from KDE and/or Tyson Tan once they realize im trying to put him in a game that also has Clippy and Bonzi Buddy in it

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