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Line 4: − + − * see your code;+ − * make changes to a copy of the code;+ − * send you proposed updates, changes, and fixes; − * prepare unofficial updates; − * better help users with support questions by looking at the code. − + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
→Why is open source important?: + importance for contributions
==Why is open source important?==
==Why is open source important?==
Open source is important for the long-term health of the modding community, and helps make the player experience smoother. Depending on the open-source license you choose, others can...
Open source is important for the long-term health of the modding community, and helps make the player experience smoother.
; How it benefits others
: Depending on the open-source license you choose, others can...
The effect can be significant: only 1% of open-source mods broke when SMAPI 3.0 released, compared to '''51%''' of closed-source mods (and that doesn't count closed-source mods that were never updated for recent game releases).
:* see your code;
:* make changes to a copy of the code;
:* send you proposed updates, changes, and fixes;
:* prepare unofficial updates;
:* better help users with support questions by looking at the code.
: The effect can be significant: only 1% of open-source mods broke when SMAPI 3.0 released, compared to '''51%''' of closed-source mods (and that doesn't count closed-source mods that were never updated for earlier game/SMAPI releases).
; How it benefits you
: Besides the above benefits, a license is very important if you'll accept contributions from others.
: ''Without'' a license, contributors have a copyright for changes they make to your mod (like code, translation, or content changes). By contributing to your mod, they're implicitly giving you permission to use the content/changes in the way they're currently used. But since you no longer own the entire mod, you can't change how they're published (e.g. splitting the mod into smaller components, copying code into another mod, etc) without getting permission from each past contributor. And if some of those contributors can't be reached, you're out of luck unless you strip their contributions out of the mod entirely.
: ''With'' a license, any contributions are automatically covered by the license too. That means you can do anything with the contributions that the license allows.
==Common questions==
==Common questions==