Motif 1.2.x & X11R5

[Darrell McCauley]

okay, I'll my 2 cents.

Gerald I. Evenden (gie at charon.er.usgs.gov) writes on 12 Jan 94:
>It appears that the line has been drawn and we definitely have a
>clear set of opposing views.

yes. It's no secret, but for the record, I'm opposed to Motif.
Mostly for the reasons Jerry stated.

>My main point is that if GRASS is to be considered a free, public
>domain product then all of its component parts must not rely on
>proprietary sub-components.  To do otherwise is to destroy the initial

>Again, I feel that CERL was ill-advised to link GRASS with Motif
>and that this seriously detracts from the claim of free/public-domain.

Well, I do too, but I think that we have to consider that they
may have objectives other than keeping it free of proprietary 
sub-components. We have to consider the mission of CERL
(e.g., I doubt that their primary purpose is GRASS programming).

After all, CERL could do what many (most?) other government agencies
do: use Arc/Info.

>There are acceptable alternative which could put GRASS back
>into this category.

Yes, and perhaps some of the more benevolent people with the
appropriate skills could do this, APART FROM CERL. Anything
from a port of XGRASS to completely starting over. Or perhaps
some MS student could take it on as a project. After all,
Motif was first introduced (xgen) by a student doing his MS
project.

That is, if this XGRASS thing is really even needed in 
public domain software...

Recommendation: I would like to see XGRASS unbundled from
GRASS, i.e., made more clear all across netland that this
is a totally optional add on. Perhaps we should be more 
vocal (in places like GIS-L). [see recent messages as
examples of the confusion]

As long as GRASS is completely independent of XGRASS, 
I'm (close to but not completely) indifferent.

--Darrell

James Darrell McCauley, Purdue Univ, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1146, USA
mccauley at ecn.purdue.edu, mccauley%ecn at purccvm.bitnet, pur-ee!mccauley
** will finish PhD/engr in 9/94 - need job. inquiries welcome (no hh, plz) **

P.S. anyone know whatever became of 'dirt' (a PD automated drop-n-drag
interface builder)?