[Qgis-developer] import proprietary code inside a python plugin

[Tim Sutton]

Hi

On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 4:52 PM, G. Allegri <giohappy at gmail.com> wrote:
> Through the various considerations on this topic there are two positions the
> seems contradictory to me:
>
> "I did some research on this, and the conclusion is that import is
> functionally and legally equivalent to linking during compilation, so
> everything that imports qgis must be GPL." [1]
>

So if you plan to distribute although technically possible to link to
a proprietary module, its not legall possible.

> then
>
> "you can import/link proprietary code into gpl code, provided you have a
> license to do it."
>

So if you have the license to ESRI etc. to use their libraries you are
welcome to make yourself a QGIS frontend to ArcSomething, but you cant
legally distribute that.

> They probably mean different things and they're not in contradiction. Being
> an important point to me, could you help in understanding it?
>

Above is my understanding of those points anyway....

Regards

Tim

> thanks a lot,
> Giovanni
>
>
> [1] http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/018976.html
> [2] http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/019000.html
>
> 2012/3/26 G. Allegri <giohappy at gmail.com>
>
>> I think you're right but watch the reality from a worldwide point of view.
>> I work mostly with foreign countries, not EU/USA. National offices and
>> agencies budgets are far beyond the license fees, so they don't care for it
>> very much. They pay yearly for something that already do the work they need,
>> without having to do contracts for development, define requirements, etc.
>> This is the reality. In my courses, even those based on ESRI software, I
>> always introduce FOSS solutions. Sometimes it raises interest, most of times
>> they don't care. They want the job done, and they don't pay for the license.
>> That's it.
>>
>> Anyway, if I wouldn't think that (most) of times a free solution could be
>> the best way, I wouldn't be here to talk about it ;)
>>
>> giovanni
>>
>>
>>
>> 2012/3/26 Sandro Santilli <strk at keybit.net>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 03:31:53PM +0200, G. Allegri wrote:
>>>
>>> > I totally agree with you, but reality is a bit different. Many
>>> > agencies,
>>> > corporates, etc. are not considering to leave they're infrastructure.
>>>
>>> It's their choice, they'll have to bear the consequences of that.
>>>
>>> > I suggest solutions to interoperate, not to switch the whole thing.
>>>
>>> What I'm saying is that it just costs more. And rightly so.
>>> It is no interest of the free software users to make it any cheaper,
>>> IMHO.
>>>
>>> > It would be easier, and a lot cheeper, if everybody talked one
>>> > language.
>>>
>>> +1
>>>
>>> > But we have hundreads of languages in the world, and we have to deal
>>> > with
>>> > this.
>>>
>>> People grow up learning the language of their mothers.
>>> Nobody has to pay a license to _use_ that language.
>>> And anyone can learn.
>>> We're really not talking about the same thing.
>>>
>>> --strk;
>>
>>
>
>
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>



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