[GRASS5] Grass Projection Parameters

[Bernhard Reiter]

On Sun, Feb 17, 2002 at 07:29:33PM +0000, Glynn Clements wrote:
> Radim Blazek wrote:
> > > >> We are developing a product called MacGrass that is based on Grass as a
> > > >> powerful engine and MacGrass as an elegant front end while also adding
> > > >> capabilities, features and ease of use.
> > > >
> > > > Just out of curiosity:
> > > >
> > > > What programming facilities are you using?
> > > > Is there any schedule for the release of the source code?

> > > We are developing the software using Apple's Project Builder in Cocoa
> > > (objective-c based), as a commercial, closed-source project.

We might have to check that what you do is not voilating GRASS' license.

> > > I personally have mixed feelings about the open-source versus closed
> > > source issue. Although we will not contribute code to the Grass
> > > community in this instance, we will continue (and hopefully increase)
> > > monetary donations to the Grass project.

I am not a proponent of proprietory frontends to GRASS.
It will not only be a disadvantage to the whole GRASS user
community, but will also be suboptimal for your product and users.

> > What you are doing is exactly what is not allowed. I consider 
> > your work to be "work based on the Program"
> 
> I wouldn't consider a front-end to be a "work based on the program",
> assuming that it is just spawning commands via system() or similar. 
> Nor, AFAICT from reading the GPL FAQ, does the FSF.
> 
> If a program which executes another is a derivative of that program,
> then there are a lot of unlicensed derivatives around.

It depends.
This probably is a hard question to answer.
Without checking the details I cannot tell in this case.
I won't be able to check the details for a couple of days.

But there is a good chance that it is not allowed to develop
propietory front ends for GRASS.

Check:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation

|     Mere aggregation of two programs means putting them side by side
| on the same CD-ROM or hard disk. We use this term in the case where
| they are separate programs, not parts of a single program. In this
| case, if one of the programs is covered by the GPL, it has no effect
| on the other program.
| 
|     Combining two modules means connecting them together so that
| they form a single larger program. If either part is covered by the
| GPL, the whole combination must also be released under the GPL--if
| you can't, or won't, do that, you may not combine them.
| 
|     What constitutes combining two parts into one program? This is a
| legal question, which ultimately judges will decide. We believe that
| a proper criterion depends both on the mechanism of communication
| (exec, pipes, rpc, function calls within a shared address space,
| etc.) and the semantics of the communication (what kinds of
| information are interchanged).


Please note that there is also commerical Free Software.
High quality software done by professionals for money,
but still granting all necessary freedoms.
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