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Re: 20020610: Unidata Decoders and modifications

>To: address@hidden
>From: Arild Burud <address@hidden>
>Subject: Unidata Decoders and modifications
>Organization: UCAR/Unidata
>Keywords: 200206101525.g5AFP7J15234

Hi Arild,

> We have recently done some modifications to the Unidata Decoders package
> (after downloading from http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/decoders/),
> and now I need to know:
> - Can I distribute the modified package to other interested researchers
> without violating copyrights?

Yes.  The copyright is contained in the src/COPYRIGHT file and permits
modifying and distributing the software under the conditions stated.
(We've released later software under the LGPL license, and might
consider doing the same for the decoders package if the current
COPYRIGHT is causing problems.)

> - Is Unidata interested in the modifications for incorporation in the
> existing package?
> We took the application "gribdump" and rewrote it into a new tool
> "gribtocdl", enabling automatic creation of a cdl-file from the content
> of a grib file. This was first based on the built-in parameter tables
> found in "gribdump" and "gribtonc". Most recently, I added the option of
> having a user-supplied conversion table for parameter names, this time I
> had to modify the "gribtonc" application as well. After having informed
> users about the new tools on our internet pages
> (http://noserc.met.no/formkonv/) we found that this was generating
> international interest. I have now received several requests for the
> software from the US and Portugal.
> 
> We are not interested in making a profit on the tools, we will only
> distribute them for free. 

Yes, we are very interested in your changes!  They sound useful enough
that we might want to incorporate some of your enhancements in our
decoders package (with your permission and giving you credit), or at
least include a pointer to your web site from our decoders page, so
our users can access your enhanced versions.  Please let us know if
this sounds practical.

I've had several requests for GRIB <-> netCDF conversion, and it looks
like you've provided a useful resource for those conversions.

And thanks on behalf of the Unidata community for your efforts
enhancing the decoders package and letting us know about your
improvements.

--Russ

_____________________________________________________________________

Russ Rew                                         UCAR Unidata Program
address@hidden                     http://www.unidata.ucar.edu