[GRASSweb-list]bernhard: web related_projects.html,1.22,1.23

[Markus Neteler]

On Thu, Aug 07, 2003 at 11:34:05AM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 07, 2003 at 11:14:14AM +0200, Markus Neteler wrote:
> > On Wed, Aug 06, 2003 at 07:08:40PM +0200, grass at intevation.de wrote:
> > > Author: bernhard
> > > 
> > > Update of /grassrepository/web
> > > In directory doto:/tmp/cvs-serv5364
> > > 
> > > Modified Files:
> > > 	related_projects.html 
> > > Log Message:
> > > Added hint that lx-viewer depends on a non-free library.
> > 
> > A comment:
> > 
> > In this case the licenses of all other products should be
> > added. Or (preferred by me), we don't mention the licenses
> > here as they are already mentioned on the individual
> > project pages - to reduce our page maintenance efforts.
> 
> My proposal is to only warn users against licenses that are non-free.
> GRASS is a Free Software project that is why most users will
> expect us to be aware of non-free solutions.
> This is really has value to our readers.
> And we also make sure that if people decide to use that software
> they are warned. 
> Friends don't let friends use drugs^H^H^H^H^Hproprietary software.  ;)

Well, I am not sure if it is really our task to explain the
external projects. For that 'www.freegis.org' exists.

We should not spend time on that, but invest more time
in improving GRASS (write an 'installer', write an
'update' more like R-stats provides etc). There are many
more important things to do. Or just make GRASS 5.1
working on MacOSX and IRIX?
 
> Otherwise we also might need to link all the proprietary 
> or semi-proprietary software that can do useful tasks
> in combination with GRASS.

Yes, installation should be simplified.

> If this is too much maintanence effort the alternative
> would be to not mention non-free solutions, but
> that also has its drawbacks.

Why not let the users decide? If someone want to use a non-free
solution, that's not our decision. I would prefer to give the 
users the freedom to decide themselves.

Markus