Motif 1.2.x & X11R5

[Kenn Gardels (CEDR-REGIS)]

> >Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 07:10:21 +1000 (+1000)
> >From: Chris W Skelly <gewcs at jcu.edu.au>
> >Subject: Re: Motif 1.2.x & X11R5
> >
> >Hi Again Guys,
> >
> >At the risk of being rude 8-() I'd like to repeat my previous 
> >question, which was not meant to be snotty (really!).
> >
> >My question was: why is a public domain package such as GRASS
> >being made dependent upon a commercial product -- Motif? Is
> >CERL locking itself into a commercial product because it can make
> >pretty buttons? <--- ok this bit is cheeky
> >
> >I ask simply because I use products like Ximage which do not
> >use motif (no fancy 3d buttons on screen), but still have all the
> >menus and x functionality...and it doesn't lock the user into
> >a commercial product....
> >
> >Cheers,
> >Chris
> 
> A *very* good point and I couldn't have said it better myself,
> cheekyness and all.
> 
> I have wondered and queryed the same issue and suggested that
> the Athena Widgets could probably do the job.  But in this case,
> some systems have not installed the Athena Widgets and ... .
> Another alternative is to make your own widget set, but that
> takes a lot of time and a higher skill level.
> 
> As a bottom line, I think it would have been preferable to
> stick with the Athena Widgets.
> 
> But whatever route, stay pristene, pure and public.
> 
> Gerald (Jerry) I. Evenden   Internet: gie at charon.er.usgs.gov
> voice: (508)563-6766          Postal: P.O. Box 1027
>   fax: (508)457-2310                  N.Falmouth, MA 02556-1027

Motif isn't a commercial product in the same way that a database system or
a word processor is.  It is more like Unix - there is licensed code, a
trademark, and some special libraries for programming, but all these come
"free" when you buy the workstation.  All the workstation vendors except
Sun have included Motif for some time; Sun has committed to it as well.
If you can't wait, you can get a Motif license for making your own code
for $49.  Software compiled with motif can be distributed without restriction.

I agree, GRASS cannot become dependent on commercial products, but I don't
think that this is an issue for Motif.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Kenn Gardels                     Tel +01 (510) 642-9205                      |
| CEDR - 390 Wurster Hall          Fax +01 (510) 643-5571                      |
| University of California         Internet  gardels at ced.berkeley.edu          |
| Berkeley, CA  94720              Bitnet    gardels at UCBCED                    |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+