[OSGeo-Discuss] Using GPL for geospatial software in a commercial application.

[Christopher Schmidt]

On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 04:12:14PM -0700, Landon Blake wrote:
> I'm working on a group of AutoLISP scripts for IntelliCAD and AutoCAD
> that increase cooperation between these CAD programs and FOSS GIS
> software. (For example: One set of my scripts allows CAD users to export
> drawing geometry in OGC WKT format.)
> 
>  
> 
> I'd like to release these scripts under Version 3 of the GPL, but I'm
> not sure if this is possible. The scripts are read by proprietary CAD
> programs, and I don't have the power to release the code for these
> programs under the GPL.

The GPL requirements for this case are only when you 'distribute' the
work.  I'm assuming you don't expct that people will take your scripts, 
build them into the CAD programs, and then 'distribute' them togther. So
long as that is the case, it seems likely that this won't be an issue:
your code is GPL, and you're not 'shipping' their code, or at least not
outside 'mere aggregation' (which doesn't drag in derivative clauses).

So, I can't see any likely problems with this.

IANAL,
-- 
Christopher Schmidt
Web Developer