[GRASS5] GRASS connecting to external software

[Markus Neteler]

jan at intevation.de wrote:

>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.
>  
>
It was an example for existing problems. I have spoken quite a few times to
people who were interested to connect to GRASS, to invest even money into
further GRASS development, but then went away since this didn't want to
or could not (because they were not owner) publish their piece of software
under GPL.

More users = more developers, for sure. And we definitely need more
developers.

>>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.
>  
>
That's why I try to push the SWIG interface idea. But I am not sure if this
works as a (legal) bridge.

Markus