[GRASS5] v.in.dwg license problem

[Markus Neteler]

On Fri, May 16, 2003 at 03:39:41PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
[...]
> For me one point in not distributing such a module in the core
> of GRASS is publicity and the surprise value of the core CVS contents.
> If we keep it in the core part of the CVS version,
> we might warn people in the top pages that there are modules
> with other licenses they have to check each module for themselfs.

We are talking about a single module, not modules. AFAIK there are
no plans to introduce other modules like that.
So identifying this code is very easy, it is not needed to check
each module.

> There is no problem to distribute such a module in a non-free 
> or contrib CVS module, like Debian does.

Just a sidenote for clarification (maybe just look at the 5.1 code):

Accidential compilation of 'v.in.dwg' is de facto impossible, because:

 1. the openDWG libs have to be obtained by registration/buying the license
   which involves user interaction
 2. copying the openDWG libs into the system
 3. configure GRASS 5.1 with path to these libraries
 4. compile GRASS 5.1

If 1-3 are not done, the GRASS Makefile system simply skips 'v.in.dwg'.
The script to ask for 
 "v.in.dwg is linked to proprietary library.... Loose ..."
only runs if 1-3 are done.

Personally I am open to move it to a non-free directory, but it should
be easily reachable.

Developing a free DXF/DWG lib is a nice idea, but I can't see the
volunteers.

Markus