[GRASS5] conversions and copyrights

[Roger Miller]

Folks,

I am drafting the code needed for r.proj, v.proj, s.proj and m.proj to 
convert between nad27 and nad83 data using the nad_init  and nad_cvt  
routines and data distributed with proj.4A.3.3.

The data distributed with proj4 are limited to conversion within the US.  
Canada is undergoing  a similar change.  NAD83 has also been adopted in 
Mexico, Central America, Greenland and among Caribean countries.  I looked 
briefly for the data necessary to apply similar conversions for countries 
other than the US.  I found that the data and software necessary to complete 
the conversion for Candian locales are distributed by Canadian federal 
government.  The data and software are not in the public domain.

The license agreement is at

http://www.geod.nrcan.gc.ca/site/index_e/data_e/data_e.html

Strictly from a layman's perspective, the Canadian license conditions don't 
appear to be compatible with the GPL.  It looks like we would need a separate 
license agreement in order to distribute the data or software as part of 
GRASS.  Can someone with more expertise than I take a look at their 
conditions?  Has GRASS had to deal with similar problems before?

Further, it looks like the data and software are only available for a fee.  I 
don't have a current need for the conversion capability, so I'm not going to 
spring for the $40.00 (Canadian, presumeably) to have them ship me the 
package on CD.


Roger Miller,
Lee WIlson and Associates