[GRASS-dev] gmath and gpde update

[Moritz Lennert]

On 13/01/09 09:33, Soeren Gebbert wrote:
> 2009/1/12 Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com 
> <mailto:glynn at gclements.plus.com>>
> 
> 
>     Moritz Lennert wrote:
> 
>      > However, is
>      >
>      > ** Everyone is granted permission to copy, modify and
>     redistribute this
>      > ** Meschach Library, provided:
>      > [...]
>      > **  3.  No charge is made for this software or works derived from it.
>      > **      This clause shall not be construed as constraining other
>     software
>      > **      distributed on the same medium as this software, nor is a
>      > **      distribution fee considered a charge.
>      >
>      > GPL-compatible ?
> 
>     Ah; I don't think so.
> 
>     The GPL allows you to charge for derivative works (although being
>     unable to prohibit free redistribution tends to limit this).
> 
>     Anyone distributing GRASS binaries is required to provide (or offer to
>     provide) the source code for "the work as a whole" (which would
>     include meschach) under the terms of the GPL.
> 
>     This would then allow the recipient to extract any part (e.g.
>     meschach) and (try to) sell it. While that seems like a rather
>     unlikely scenario, the GPL requires that you permit this, and if you
>     cannot permit it, you cannot satisfy the GPL.
> 
>     And the meschach library appears not to permit it.
> 
> 
> Oh no.
> Does that mean we can not integrate meschach into grass and only provide 
> a framework
> or wrapper around it? And the user has to compile and install meschach 
> by himself
> to run GRASS?
> 

Yes, or use the version coming with their distribution.

> What can we do?

Either make meschach a dependency, as Glynn suggested, thus just linking 
to it which, AFAIU, does not violate GPL, and which has the added 
(important) advantage that we do not have to maintain the code. Or 
convince the meschach developers to relicense.

Moritz