PhysX is Open Source (EDIT: or is it?)
Thursday, March 5th, 2015https://developer.nvidia.com/content/latest-physx-source-code-now-available-free-github
Note that contrary to what the post says, this is only the second best version (3.3.3). We are currently working on 3.4, which already contains significant changes and significant speedups (for example it includes Opcode2-based mesh collision structures, which provides faster raycasts, overlap and sweep queries). I think we will eventually open source 3.4 too, when it is released.
EDIT:
I’ve been reading the internet and receiving private emails after that. Apparently what I wrote is technically wrong: it is not “Open Source” because it does not have a proper open source license, it comes with a EULA, etc.
I notice now that both NVIDIA’s press release (above) and EPIC’s (here) are carefully worded. They actually never say “Open Source”, or even “open source”. They just say things like:
“NVIDIA opens PhysX code”
“PhysX source code now available free”
“The PhysX SDK is available free with full source code”
The weird thing then, is that many internet posts do the same mistake as I did, and present the news as if PhysX was indeed “Open Source:
http://techreport.com/news/27910/nvidia-physx-joins-the-open-source-party
http://www.dvhardware.net/article62067.html
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=5024001
https://forum.teksyndicate.com/t/physx-made-open-source/75101
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1854357
(etc, etc)
Why is everybody making this mistake, if indeed none of the official press releases actually said that?
I’ll tell you why.
That’s because the distinction between “NVIDIA opens PhysX source” and “PhysX is open source” is so subtle that only pedantic morons misguided souls would be bold enough to complain about it when given something for free.
Give them a finger, they’ll take the whole hand, and slap you with it.
I have the feeling this is the only industry where people are so insane and out of touch with reality. You’ve given a free Porsche and then you complain that it is not “really free” because you still need to respect the “strings attached” traffic code. Hello? Just say “thank you”, enjoy what you’re given, or go buy a Ferrari if you don’t like Porsche. Jeeez.