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

[Alex Mandel]

Yes, that's the right idea. Any code you import must be provided to the
end user. So to work around that you can make 2 programs.
1. QGIS plugin (GPL)
2. An Arcpy script (LGPL, MIT, BSD)

Then your Arcpy script prepares some data and writes them to files and
your QGIS Plugin is able to read those files and do something with them.
But you avoid direct import.

Seems quirky but legal.

Alex

On 03/26/2012 01:08 PM, G. Allegri wrote:
> Ok, going through hyopthesis things are getting clear:
> my plugin is ok until it doesn't load something proprietary in its process
> space. As soon as it happens I must be able to provide the source of every
> code running in the same process. Right?
> 
> giovanni
> 
> 2012/3/26 Vincent Picavet <vincent.ml at oslandia.com>
> 
>> Hi,
>>
>> Le lundi 26 mars 2012 21:32:31, G. Allegri a écrit :
>>> Ah, Tim, it's getting clear. Thanks.
>>> The key point is distribution, as always with GPL.
>>> In my case I won't distribute the ESRI geoprocessing libraries, they're
>>> part of the ArcGIS distribution, which is only availbale to users having
>> it
>>> installed on they're computers.
>>>
>>> The import satement will success only if the user have the ArcGIS product
>>> installed, otherwise it will fail. As a consequence I felt I could
>>  freely
>>> distribute my plugin as it doesn't strictly require the proprietary side
>> to
>>> run.
>> No you are wrong, as soon as your plugin is distributed and linked with
>> arcgis, you have to licence everything as GPL and therefore provide
>> sources.
>>
>>> Doesn't GDAL do the same with ECW?! Ok GDAL are LGPL. Is this the key
>>> difference?
>> Yes
>>
>>> Moreover it doesn't expose the QGis APIs to ArcGIS, and viceversa, so it
>>> only bridges the two world to interchange the data.
>> Bridging with an import is a link. If you want to exchange data, do it
>> without
>> the import and separate your modules.
>>
>> please re-read my post and mentionned the FSF faq. Everything is in there.
>>
>> Vincent
>>>
>>> giovanni
>>>
>>>
>>> 2012/3/26 Tim Sutton <lists at linfiniti.com>
>>>
>>>> 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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>>>>> Qgis-developer at lists.osgeo.org
>>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-developer
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Tim Sutton - QGIS Project Steering Committee Member (Release  Manager)
>>>> ==============================================
>>>> Please do not email me off-list with technical
>>>> support questions. Using the lists will gain
>>>> more exposure for your issues and the knowledge
>>>> surrounding your issue will be shared with all.
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>
> 
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