Hi.
I want to package the next GRX release, and I think the most urgent is to compatibilize the BGI license with GRX. I plain to change the head of every source file to this:
/** ** [FILENAME.C] ---- [small description] ** ** Copyright (c) [year] [author], [author information] ** ** This file is part of the GRX graphics library. ** ** The GRX graphics library is free software; you can redistribute it ** and/or modify it under some conditions; see the "copying.grx" file ** for details. ** ** This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, ** but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of ** MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. ** ** [Optional information about version and contibutions] ** **/
And the copying.grx file will be:
--------------- This is file "copying.grx".
This document describes the terms for distributing the source code of and any derived work based on the GRX graphics library. Such source code is marked with the next text:
** Copyright (c) [year] [author], [author information] ** ** This file is part of the GRX graphics library. ** ** The GRX graphics library is free software; you can redistribute it ** and/or modify it under some conditions; see the "copying.grx" file ** for details.
Source code with the above copyright is distributed under the following terms:
(1) The test programs for the graphics library (code in the 'test' sub-directory) is distributed without restrictions. This code is free for use in commercial, shareware or freeware applications.
(2) The GRX graphics library is distributed under the terms of the GNU LGPL (Library General Public License) with the following amendments and/or exceptions:
- Using the DOS versions (DOS only! this exception DOES NOT apply to the Linux version) you are permitted to distribute an application linked with GRX in binary only, provided that the documentation of the program:
a) informs the user that GRX is used in the program, AND
b) provides the user with the necessary information about how to obtain GRX. (i.e. ftp site, etc..)
(3) Fonts (in the 'fonts' directory) are distributed according to the terms in the file "COPYING.MIT". Most of the fonts included with the GRX library were derived from fonts in the MIT X11R4 distribution. The exception is the "pc" BIOS font family, which is distributed without restrictions.
A copy of the GNU GPL (in the file "COPYING") and the GNU LGPL (in the file "COPYING.LIB") is included with this document. If you did not receive a copy of "COPYING" or "COPYING.LIB", you may obtain one from where this document was obtained, or by writing to:
Free Software Foundation 675 Mass Ave Cambridge, MA 02139 USA -----------------------------------
Please, Hartmut, Peter, Csaba, are you agree?
Other things I want to do int the 2.3.2 release:
- add the updated user's manual. - put bgi test programs in his own subdirectory. - make grx test programs use GrKeys functions. - add my ctx2pnm functions.
Because my tech skills about graphics hardware aren't so good, I want to be only an "interim maintainer" while a more skilled person appears.
Greetings, M.Alvarez
Hi, all!
Mariano Alvarez Fernandez wrote:
Subject: Re: GRX 2.3.2
There is already a 2.3.2 release at ftp://agnes.dida.physik.uni-essen.de/home/maurice/, so yours can be grx-2.3.3 - leaning towards grx-3.0.
I want to package the next GRX release, and I think the most urgentis to compatibilize the BGI license with GRX.
Yep. And we are intending a license change from LGPL to GPL with exception.
The extension `.C' means "C++" on case-sensitive systems. You probably mean `.c'. (Or `.pas' for that matter.;-)
(1) The test programs for the graphics library (code in the 'test' sub-directory) is distributed without restrictions. This code is free for use in commercial, shareware or freeware applications.
<mumble> This sentence invites for common misunderstandings about what "free software" means. Suggestion:
This code is free for use in commercial or non-commercial, free or non-free applications.
(This makes clear that there is no contradiction free <--> commercial, but both are independent properties.)
(2) The GRX graphics library is distributed under the terms of the GNU LGPL (Library General Public License) with the following amendments and/or exceptions:
- Using the DOS versions (DOS only! this exception DOES NOT apply tothe Linux version) you are permitted to distribute an application linked with GRX in binary only, provided that the documentation of the program:
a) informs the user that GRX is used in the program, AND b) provides the user with the necessary information abouthow to obtain GRX. (i.e. ftp site, etc..)
This is what I do not like in particular. It gives DOS authors special rights but does not grant them to Linux authors. That's not really fair, IMHO.
Other things I want to do int the 2.3.2 release:
- add the updated user's manual.
Good idea! :-)
- put bgi test programs in his own subdirectory.
- make grx test programs use GrKeys functions.
- add my ctx2pnm functions.
:-)
Another thingy: When we really get those license issues solved, I'd like to comtribute a version of GRX for MS-Windows 9x/NT which has been developed on my request.
Because my tech skills about graphics hardware aren't so good, I want to be only an "interim maintainer" while a more skilled person appears.
Be welcome! (:
Greetings,
Peter
Hi, Peter
There is already a 2.3.2 release at ftp://agnes.dida.physik.uni-essen.de/home/maurice/, so yours can be grx-2.3.3 - leaning towards grx-3.0.
Opps! What's new in 2.3.2?
(2) The GRX graphics library is distributed under the terms of the GNU LGPL (Library General Public License) with the following amendments and/or exceptions:
- Using the DOS versions (DOS only! this exception DOES NOT apply tothe Linux version) you are permitted to distribute an application linked with GRX in binary only, provided that the documentation of the program:
a) informs the user that GRX is used in the program, AND b) provides the user with the necessary information abouthow to obtain GRX. (i.e. ftp site, etc..)
This is what I do not like in particular. It gives DOS authors special rights but does not grant them to Linux authors. That's not really fair, IMHO.
Well, my intention was not to change the license (that is OK for me), but to fix the incompatibilities and clarify it for future contributions. The copying.cb file says "This document describes the terms for distributing the source code of and any derived work based on the GRX graphics library", but the bgi license is not compatible, so really the 2.3.1 is not usable. I wanted to fix that (because Hartmut has posted his acknowledgement to the list).
With regard to the DOS exception I think it didn't give DOS authors more power than Linux authors using a shared GRX lib. DOS didn't have shared libs.
Nevertheless, I don't have problems with a LGPL only license, but I don't know if I can do the changes you want without the express acknowledgement of a lot of people.
Another thingy: When we really get those license issues solved, I'd like to comtribute a version of GRX for MS-Windows 9x/NT which has been developed on my request.
A win32 version will be great, and I will be glad to integrate it (2.3.4?), but you must decide what to do with the license.
Greetings, M.Alvarez
-
Mariano Alvarez Fernandez -
Peter Gerwinski