I think they mean that when a civ researches (or “builds”) Linux every player in the game should have access to it (but the civ who spent the resources building Linux gets something extra).
If Linux was on the tech tree, only the civilizations who researched Linux could use it. That’s not very FOSS! Every civilization who had computers should be able to get Linux once it’s out.
> I think they mean that when a civ researches (or “builds”) Linux every player in the game should have access to it (but the civ who spent the resources building Linux gets something extra).
Actually that would be an interesting mechanic: to move forward in the tech tree you have to research something, but by researching it you give it all the players.
Do you stall your own progress, or take the hit to move forward and float all ships higher by raising the technological tide? How do the devs program the AI countries to make choice(s) in single-player, and what would a human player do?
This isn't new, so we don't need to speculate about it. Older civs had this. Civ IV has the Manhattan Project, and the Apollo Program, both of which enable new stuff for all civilizations, once built (nukes, and space race).
In addition to the comments below, I think a way to implement your idea is to have certain technologies automatically shared between trading partners and/or alliances - and also wars.
This exists in other 4X games but not really any of the Civ series IIRC. You can trade generic science points but certain technologies and civics could be shared directly by trade and military engagements with foreign powers (wheel, military tactics, currency, printing press, etc).
One of the games has something like this. After researching the internet technology (or maybe it's a wonder?), any time any tech has been researched by any two civs, you instantly research the tech for free.
