Andrew, > thanks for these precisions. I suggest that you should distribute your > libraries under the Lesser GPL which does what you want it to in the case of > libraries, in that the library remains always "GPL" but may be linked into > any programme and distributed under a commercial or other license. > > http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html Thanks for your suggestion. We considered an LGPL versus MIT open source license some time ago and decided to go with MIT-style, because it puts fewer restrictions on use of the software for use in products. I corresponded with Richard Stallman in 1996 about the netCDF open source license and took his advice at the time to change a requirement to a request in the netCDF Copyright text. We haven't had need to change the license since then, and it has served us very well. --Russ > -----Message d'origine----- > DeÂ: Unidata netCDF Support [mailto:address@hidden > EnvoyÃÂ: mercredi 22 fÃvrier 2012 06:42 > ÃÂ: BRISTOW Andrew > CcÂ: address@hidden > ObjetÂ: [netCDF #TWY-871356]: License question > > Andrew, > > > Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have one further question then. Do you > > consider that incorporating the netCDF Windows DLL or Linux shared library > > into another software creates a "derivative work"? > > No, I do not consider the result of using the library as it's intended, by > linking to it, creates a "derivative work". > But I am not a lawyer, so I'm not sure whether my opinion on that question is > of much value. However, as the > head of netCDF development, maintenance, and support, I can assure you that > we have no intention of taking > any legal action against users of the software, even when such use involves > incorporation of netCDF software > in commercial products. We want to see the software widely used. > > --Russ > > > -----Message d'origine----- > > DeÂ: Unidata netCDF Support [mailto:address@hidden > > EnvoyÃÂ: lundi 20 fÃvrier 2012 23:44 > > ÃÂ: BRISTOW Andrew > > CcÂ: address@hidden > > ObjetÂ: [netCDF #TWY-871356]: License question > > > > Hi Andrew, > > > > > We have downloaded NetCDF binary distributions (Windows and Linux) > > > from the following location. > > > > > > https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/downloads/netcdf/netcdf-3_6_1/index.jsp > > > > > > This is because we are evaluating the use of NetCDF format in our > > > software. > > > > > > However these binary distributions do not come with any statement > > > on licensing. Can you tell me under what license the binaries are > > > distributed? I am assuming as as there is no license attached to the > > > download, then they are effectively public domain. Is this the case? > > > > No, it is our intention to have all netCDF software covered by the same > > license as the source distributions: > > > > http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/netcdf/copyright.html > > > > If the copyright notice is not included in a binary distribution, that's > > an inadvertent omission on our part. > > > > --Russ > > > > Russ Rew UCAR Unidata Program > > address@hidden http://www.unidata.ucar.edu > > > > > > > > Ticket Details > > =================== > > Ticket ID: TWY-871356 > > Department: Support netCDF > > Priority: Normal > > Status: Closed > > > > > > Russ Rew UCAR Unidata Program > address@hidden http://www.unidata.ucar.edu > > > > Ticket Details > =================== > Ticket ID: TWY-871356 > Department: Support netCDF > Priority: Normal > Status: Closed > > Russ Rew UCAR Unidata Program address@hidden http://www.unidata.ucar.edu Ticket Details =================== Ticket ID: TWY-871356 Department: Support netCDF Priority: Normal Status: Closed
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