[GRASS5] GRASS connecting to external software

[jan at intevation.de]

On Tuesday 14 March 2006 00:45, Markus Neteler wrote:
> Let me ask again:
> 
> how could a (say, fictive) project such GRASS-ABM, written
> in JAVA and not GPLed for whatsoever reason, make use of
> GRASS modules?
> 
> I hope that the answer isn't: "use a proprietary GIS".

the answer should be: "GRASS-ABM should better go for a
GPL compatible license to take advantage of GRASS".

I would like to see the GRASS team defend this and take
it as a strong benefit rather than trying to help others to keep
their developments separate from GRASS.

The easier to use GRASS without being
GPL compatible the less contributions GRASS will receive
in the mid term.

Does the benefit of GRASS-ABM using GRASS really weight
out this? I don't know.

> In my opinion we should work on a solution for this
> problem.

Tell GRASS-ABM that they should either think about a GPL
compatible license or on some "bridging" layers under a GPL compatible
license. The latter is sort of a grey area, but depending on
the actual needs of GRASS-ABM there can be practical solutions.

Best

	Jan

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Jan-Oliver Wagner: www.intevation.de/~jan  | GISpatcher: www.gispatcher.de
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