[GRASSLIST:1191] Re: creating a desktop GIS application using GRASS

[Radim Blazek]

On Wednesday 10 September 2003 13:09, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> It is possible to make commercial Free Software applications
> which will allow us to actually build a competitive advantage over
> proprietary commercial offerings.

Possible yes, but in certain situations much more difficult than to make 
proprietary application. You are still talking about possibility and 
I am still waiting for examples (specialized extension for GRASS).

> > We must think about a ratio between the work required
> > and the number of users, say 'code size'/'number of installations'.
>
> It is an interesting argument.
> The GNU example shows that you can start with a high ratio and lower it
> over time. The copyleft licenses helped to accelerate the process.

You can lower the ratio either by reducing code size, or increasing
number of installations. Code size is obviously fixed and 
number of users is always limited for specialized application.

> GIS itself is a broad subject so GRASS has the potential of a higher
> number of installations.

GRASS certainly yes, and I am working on GRASS because I believe that 
it is possible to make free GIS. Unfortunately, I realised too late,
that GIS without all required extensions cannot be widely accepted.

> As for specialised applications with a low number of installations
> there are also example in other Free Software areas that this can be done
> without being proprietary. Especially because if the needs are special
> the companies have the tendency to put more money into the solution.
> The two most prominent examples are the GNATS (GNU ADA compiler) and
> Cygnus.

???!!! Compiler and standard OS tools as example of specialized applications?
Both are coverd by exception in GPL. Give me examples of GRASS applications.

> > I believe that somebody can realy waste his money and write an
> > application under GPL, why not.
>
> There are many situations and examples for this
> where this is not a waste of money.

Give examples (GIS, GRASS).

> > The problem is that we need massive movement in this
> > area not one exception. More important than to talk about theoretical
> > possibility is to look around at the reality - no such applications.
>
> You mean no Free Software applications for GRASS?

Exactly, but that does not exclude to have free applications as well.
If it is possible to make free application why not, but if it is not possible,
why people could not buy it. Is it better, if they have to use proprietary GIS
+ proprietary extension?

> > Not at all, what I want is to give users the freedom to use both free
> > and proprietary extensions for GRASS.
>
> In principle that is a goal worth debating,
> however I don't see how we can do this with the current GRASS technology
> without giving away our "crown jewels".

What are "crown jewels"? Most functionality is in modules and modules
don't need to be relicensed (except permission to link with non GPL
libraries - DWG, JPEG2000, Oracle ...).

Radim