[GRASS5] Re: license issues

[Bernhard Reiter]

On Wed, Dec 15, 1999 at 10:15:44AM -0600, Bruce_Byars at baylor.edu wrote:
> Non GPL'able code:

There are two distinct difficulties with the GPL.
(Which both are healthy and important to deal with, the GPL just
requires a bit of disciplin to ensure freedom in the future.)

One is: 
	Can the code be linked together with GPL code?
	(For this matter is has to permit everythink that is connected 
	with free software, but it does not have to be as save as
	software under the GPL.)

	PD if used in a context is okay and you can even claim the
	copyright, if we changed it for the sake of grass development.
	So it is GPLable in a way. ;-)

	
The second is: Non-free software or almost free software 
	cannot be linked to GPL programs.


> The entire r.le suite of programs including:
> r.le.dist/
> r.le.setup/
> r.le.patch/
> r.le.trace/
> r.le.pixel/
> 
> SDTS code was release to CERL and GRASS.
> The FIPS library is USGS and therefore should
> be public domain.

That is good.

> r.nntool contains code from the NETS back
> propogation neural network simulator.  The
> neural network engine and headers were
> incorporated into the tool.  Developed by NASA
> and released into the public-domain.

Good, too.

> r.out.mpeg may have applicable code that is
> copyright by Berkeley.
> 
> f-tools use HEC format from WES.  No problem
> as HEC tools are public-domain.

Good.

> ogl3d modules use SGI libes.  Are they proprietary?
Don't know.

> src.contrib/CERL/SGI - applicable copyrights to SGI
> OpenGL.
> 
> CWU Census scripts by CWU.
> 
> /src.contrib/NMSU/WRAT - Cook College Remote Sensing 
> Center holds copyright?
> 
> grasslinks and grass.gdbase are copyright by the
> regents of Berkeley in Ca.
> 
> g.gnuplot - gnuplot if GPL.

gnuplot is not GPL. In fact gnuplot has nothing to do with the GNU
project. The name is pure coincidence. Gnuplot is almost free-software
(99.9%). So it depends on who wrote the code.

	Bernhard
-- 
Research Assistant, Geog Dept UM-Milwaukee, USA.  (www.uwm.edu/~bernhard)
Free Software Projects and Consulting 		         (intevation.net)  
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure            (ffii.org)
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