[Proj] Re: Re: Discovery: libproj4 stmerc = French Gauss-Laborde

[Melita Kennedy]

Here's a website that does list the author as Dr. Wallis:

http://www.nttc.edu/cosmic/pub/authors.html

Yet another website mentioned that "international" prices were $22/doc, $100/code. 

http://www.nttc.edu/cosmic/abstracts/npo-18086.html

Melita

>------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 13:43:21 -0400
>From: "Gerald I. Evenden" <gerald.evenden at verizon.net>
>Subject: Re: [Proj] Re: Discovery: libproj4 stmerc = French
>	Gauss-Laborde
>To: "PROJ.4 and general Projections Discussions"
>	<proj at lists.maptools.org>
>Message-ID: <200606191343.21728.gerald.evenden at verizon.net>
>
>On Monday 19 June 2006 12:59 pm, strebe at aol.com wrote:
>> I doubt the Open Channel Foundation source code has anything to do with
>> Wallis unless the program was written by someone else he communicated
>> with without his knowledge. Dr. Wallis has never tried to sell me
>> anything; never mentioned the existence of commercial source code; and
>> has communicated with me about his own implementation, including
>> algorithmic subtleties and requests for independent confirmation of
>> accuracy. He also considers the method to be "obvious" and not worth
>> publication on its own. On the other hand, either he believes he
>> originated the method, or else wanted me to believe he did.
>
>Sorry, my statement was only idle speculation because of the similarity of the 
>subject and the fact Dr. Wallis promised to publish the code several years 
>ago.  It could have been an outlet for him and probably easier than going 
>thought the pains of a professional publication---peer review, etc..
>
>> I can't say whether the product mentioned before came first, or whether
>> Dr. Wallis's method came first. I made Dr. Wallis's acquaintance in
>> 1996, and I know he had written his implementation years before that,
>> though I don't know how many. I'll contact him about the Open Channel
>> Foundation program.
>
>I did post a letter to Dr. Wallis a few days ago.  I explained my interests 
>and promised that I would not release any material related to his work 
>without his prior permission.  The reason for a letter was to communicate 
>information related to libproj4 web site that is difficult to convey 
>verbally.  I hope he has not moved.
>
>> $61 for source code and documentation seems modest enough, but the
>> inane export restrictions won't help Mr. van Vlijmen. While I will not
>> supply source code, I'm happy to answer specific questions about
>> implementing the method.
>
>My objection to the ten bucks for the documentation reminds me of similar 
>costs for NTIS material and only getting one or two pages of a totally 
>worthless dissertation.  If the source code is commercially useful than it is 
>worth more than $50 but seems steep to me for just academic interest.  
>Especially considering the amount and often high quality of material 
>available on the net for nothing.  There also seem to be chance of hidden 
>strings to seeing the material that might compromise my being able to use and 
>document derived material.
>
>-- 
>Jerry and the low-riders: Daisy Mae and Joshua
>"Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum"
>   Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
>
>
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