Perfect. I find thinking in the terms of process space a clear criterior. This makes dynamic and static linking equivalent...<div><br></div><div>So, going back to SEXTANTE, it can be given an LGPL license but it cannot use non-free code when used through Qgis, while it's free to do it when used through, e.g., ArcGIS.</div>
<div>Please, tell me it's right, otherwise I end the day with another doubt! :)</div><div><br></div><div>giovanni</div><div>
<div><br><div class="gmail_quote">2012/3/26 Vincent Picavet <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:vincent.ml@oslandia.com" target="_blank">vincent.ml@oslandia.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Hi,<br>
<div><br>
> Ok, going through hyopthesis things are getting clear:<br>
> my plugin is ok until it doesn't load something proprietary in its process<br>
> space. As soon as it happens I must be able to provide the source of every<br>
> code running in the same process. Right?<br>
</div>Right.<br>
Importing esri python module falls into that category.<br>
<span><font color="#888888">Vincent<br>
</font></span><div><div><br>
><br>
> giovanni<br>
><br>
> 2012/3/26 Vincent Picavet <<a href="mailto:vincent.ml@oslandia.com" target="_blank">vincent.ml@oslandia.com</a>><br>
><br>
> > Hi,<br>
> ><br>
> > Le lundi 26 mars 2012 21:32:31, G. Allegri a écrit :<br>
> > > Ah, Tim, it's getting clear. Thanks.<br>
> > > The key point is distribution, as always with GPL.<br>
> > > In my case I won't distribute the ESRI geoprocessing libraries, they're<br>
> > > part of the ArcGIS distribution, which is only availbale to users<br>
> > > having<br>
> ><br>
> > it<br>
> ><br>
> > > installed on they're computers.<br>
> > ><br>
> > > The import satement will success only if the user have the ArcGIS<br>
> > > product installed, otherwise it will fail. As a consequence I felt I<br>
> > > could<br>
> ><br>
> > freely<br>
> ><br>
> > > distribute my plugin as it doesn't strictly require the proprietary<br>
> > > side<br>
> ><br>
> > to<br>
> ><br>
> > > run.<br>
> ><br>
> > No you are wrong, as soon as your plugin is distributed and linked with<br>
> > arcgis, you have to licence everything as GPL and therefore provide<br>
> > sources.<br>
> ><br>
> > > Doesn't GDAL do the same with ECW?! Ok GDAL are LGPL. Is this the key<br>
> > > difference?<br>
> ><br>
> > Yes<br>
> ><br>
> > > Moreover it doesn't expose the QGis APIs to ArcGIS, and viceversa, so<br>
> > > it only bridges the two world to interchange the data.<br>
> ><br>
> > Bridging with an import is a link. If you want to exchange data, do it<br>
> > without<br>
> > the import and separate your modules.<br>
> ><br>
> > please re-read my post and mentionned the FSF faq. Everything is in<br>
> > there.<br>
> ><br>
> > Vincent<br>
> ><br>
> > > giovanni<br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > > 2012/3/26 Tim Sutton <<a href="mailto:lists@linfiniti.com" target="_blank">lists@linfiniti.com</a>><br>
> > ><br>
> > > > Hi<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 4:52 PM, G. Allegri <<a href="mailto:giohappy@gmail.com" target="_blank">giohappy@gmail.com</a>><br>
> ><br>
> > wrote:<br>
> > > > > Through the various considerations on this topic there are two<br>
> > > > > positions<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > the<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > seems contradictory to me:<br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > "I did some research on this, and the conclusion is that import is<br>
> > > > > functionally and legally equivalent to linking during compilation,<br>
> > > > > so everything that imports qgis must be GPL." [1]<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > So if you plan to distribute although technically possible to link to<br>
> > > > a proprietary module, its not legall possible.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > then<br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > "you can import/link proprietary code into gpl code, provided you<br>
> ><br>
> > have<br>
> ><br>
> > > > > a license to do it."<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > So if you have the license to ESRI etc. to use their libraries you<br>
> > > > are welcome to make yourself a QGIS frontend to ArcSomething, but<br>
> > > > you cant legally distribute that.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > They probably mean different things and they're not in<br>
> > > > > contradiction.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Being<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > an important point to me, could you help in understanding it?<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Above is my understanding of those points anyway....<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Regards<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Tim<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > thanks a lot,<br>
> > > > > Giovanni<br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > [1]<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > <a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/018976.htm" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/018976.htm</a><br>
> > > > l<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > [2]<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > <a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/019000.htm" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/019000.htm</a><br>
> > > > l<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > > 2012/3/26 G. Allegri <<a href="mailto:giohappy@gmail.com" target="_blank">giohappy@gmail.com</a>><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > >> I think you're right but watch the reality from a worldwide point<br>
> > > > >> of<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > view.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> I work mostly with foreign countries, not EU/USA. National offices<br>
> ><br>
> > and<br>
> ><br>
> > > > >> agencies budgets are far beyond the license fees, so they don't<br>
> > > > >> care<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > for it<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> very much. They pay yearly for something that already do the work<br>
> ><br>
> > they<br>
> ><br>
> > > > need,<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> without having to do contracts for development, define<br>
> > > > >> requirements,<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > etc.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> This is the reality. In my courses, even those based on ESRI<br>
> ><br>
> > software,<br>
> ><br>
> > > > >> I always introduce FOSS solutions. Sometimes it raises interest,<br>
> ><br>
> > most<br>
> ><br>
> > > > >> of<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > times<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> they don't care. They want the job done, and they don't pay for<br>
> > > > >> the<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > license.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> That's it.<br>
> > > > >><br>
> > > > >> Anyway, if I wouldn't think that (most) of times a free solution<br>
> ><br>
> > could<br>
> ><br>
> > > > be<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > >> the best way, I wouldn't be here to talk about it ;)<br>
> > > > >><br>
> > > > >> giovanni<br>
> > > > >><br>
> > > > >><br>
> > > > >><br>
> > > > >> 2012/3/26 Sandro Santilli <<a href="mailto:strk@keybit.net" target="_blank">strk@keybit.net</a>><br>
> > > > >><br>
> > > > >>> On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 03:31:53PM +0200, G. Allegri wrote:<br>
> > > > >>> > I totally agree with you, but reality is a bit different. Many<br>
> > > > >>> > agencies,<br>
> > > > >>> > corporates, etc. are not considering to leave they're<br>
> > > > >>> > infrastructure.<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> It's their choice, they'll have to bear the consequences of that.<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> > I suggest solutions to interoperate, not to switch the whole<br>
> ><br>
> > thing.<br>
> ><br>
> > > > >>> What I'm saying is that it just costs more. And rightly so.<br>
> > > > >>> It is no interest of the free software users to make it any<br>
> ><br>
> > cheaper,<br>
> ><br>
> > > > >>> IMHO.<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> > It would be easier, and a lot cheeper, if everybody talked one<br>
> > > > >>> > language.<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> +1<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> > But we have hundreads of languages in the world, and we have to<br>
> > > > >>> > deal with<br>
> > > > >>> > this.<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> People grow up learning the language of their mothers.<br>
> > > > >>> Nobody has to pay a license to _use_ that language.<br>
> > > > >>> And anyone can learn.<br>
> > > > >>> We're really not talking about the same thing.<br>
> > > > >>><br>
> > > > >>> --strk;<br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > _______________________________________________<br>
> > > > > Qgis-developer mailing list<br>
> > > > > <a href="mailto:Qgis-developer@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">Qgis-developer@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
> > > > > <a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-developer" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-developer</a><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > --<br>
> > > > Tim Sutton - QGIS Project Steering Committee Member (Release<br>
> > > > Manager) ==============================================<br>
> > > > Please do not email me off-list with technical<br>
> > > > support questions. Using the lists will gain<br>
> > > > more exposure for your issues and the knowledge<br>
> > > > surrounding your issue will be shared with all.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Visit <a href="http://linfiniti.com" target="_blank">http://linfiniti.com</a> to find out about:<br>
> > > > * QGIS programming and support services<br>
> > > > * Mapserver and PostGIS based hosting plans<br>
> > > > * FOSS Consulting Services<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Skype: timlinux<br>
> > > > Irc: timlinux on #qgis at <a href="http://freenode.net" target="_blank">freenode.net</a><br>
> > > > ==============================================<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div>