[Gdal-dev] GDAL/OGR and the MapServer Foundation

[Frank Warmerdam]

On 11/30/05, Andy Canfield <andy.canfield at gmail.com> wrote:
> Would Autodesk contribute the ability to read/write the DWG format in
> all it's many incompatible versions to OGR without having to buy
> something from them?

Andy,

My understanding is that Autodesk only has one way of reading
and working with DXF/DWG files, and it basically drags the
entire AutoCAD core along with it.  So, no, they won't likely
be providing DWG/DXF support.  I would add it isn't their
foundation.  It would hopefully be "our" foundation though they
would be members too.  I don't forsee a move to join the
foundation as being very specifically related to Autodesk.

> If they did that, that alone would make it worth
> it. GDAL/OGR is Frank's opus and he has never done anyting unwise with
> it so as long as he supports doing this then I see no reason why not
> to do this. However if Autodesk inserts their FDO code into GDAL/OGR
> under any license that would allow them to later come back and make
> portions of the library usable only with some sort of contract with
> Autodesk then I would be completely against that.

FDO is released under the LGPL.  While I am happy to include some
sort of FDO bridge, I'm not keen on having LGPL code directly in
the default GDAL/OGR builds.  One role of the foundation would
(presumably) be to help ensure the code base is "license clean".

Best regards,
--
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
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and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent