[GRASSLIST:1309] Re: GNU - GPL and Cuba

[Eric G . Miller]

On Tue, Dec 19, 2000 at 05:06:42PM -0500, Lars Bromley wrote:
> Hi List,
> I am involved in a US-Cuba scientific cooperation program, one aspect
> of which involves geospatial sorts of technologies. Due to the embargo
> on Cuba, our counterparts cannot seem to acquire any US-based GIS
> technologies as they represent a possible security risk. 
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with Cuban GIS folks, and if so how
> did they get their software? Does the GNU-GPL circumvent this possible
> liability at all? Does acquisition of GRASS from a non-US source avoid
> liability?  I am ready to recommend that our counterparts simply
> acquire GRASS via one of the non-US mirror sites, but am not sure if
> that is a legitimate approach. 
> 
> Any thoughts? Any advice? 

DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer.

1.  GPL has nothing to say about US foreign policy matters.  In fact,
some countries may not recognize it as a legitimate license.

2.  GRASS was released into the PUBLIC DOMAIN, but current work proceeds
under GPL.

3.  US Gov't really has little control (if any) over the distribution 
of source code from a foreign country.

4.  The current development tree is hosted on a computer in Germany.

Draw your own conclusions.

-- 
Eric G. Miller <egm2 at jps.net>