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<blockquote data-quote="wedgeski" data-source="post: 5698952" data-attributes="member: 16212">Linux isn't a panacea to the problem of long-term support, though. As new versions of the OS are released, old ones fall by the wayside, exactly as for Windows and other commercially licensed OS's. Package repositories get taken off-line, and developer interest in supporting versions of your favourite apps that work with increasngly old and obsolete libraries sharply declines. Yes, the source code is out there, and yes, if you are or know a software engineer who will give up his free time to help you out, you could theoretically be supported forever... but the real world just doesn't work like that.Same with the OGL. Paizo will eventually want to overhaul Pathfinder or perhaps release their own, entirely new game system. At that point they will stop releasing product for Pathfinder v1.0, and 3.5OGL will effectively be &quot;out of print&quot;. The rules will always be out there, and people can always theoretically build a game system around them or release product requiring only the reference document to run, but the system is no more &quot;supported&quot; that Red Box is &quot;supported&quot; because I can buy a used copy off eBay.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="wedgeski, post: 5698952, member: 16212"] Linux isn't a panacea to the problem of long-term support, though. As new versions of the OS are released, old ones fall by the wayside, exactly as for Windows and other commercially licensed OS's. Package repositories get taken off-line, and developer interest in supporting versions of your favourite apps that work with increasngly old and obsolete libraries sharply declines. Yes, the source code is out there, and yes, if you are or know a software engineer who will give up his free time to help you out, you could theoretically be supported forever... but the real world just doesn't work like that. Same with the OGL. Paizo will eventually want to overhaul Pathfinder or perhaps release their own, entirely new game system. At that point they will stop releasing product for Pathfinder v1.0, and 3.5OGL will effectively be "out of print". The rules will always be out there, and people can always theoretically build a game system around them or release product requiring only the reference document to run, but the system is no more "supported" that Red Box is "supported" because I can buy a used copy off eBay. [/QUOTE]

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