[GRASS5] Digging for license problems

GRASS GRASS developer
1

With the recent license changes of the Uicu Group with Helena and Bill,
I started with the tedious task to check through the huge GRASS sources
for similiar problems. It is tedious because it can only create bad news,
but somebody has to do it...

Searching for the keyword "commercial"
I turned up a couple of problematic cases.

Let's start with the easy ones:
  The ones involving uicu were mailed to Helena directly and
  I expect them to released under GPL soon (Thanks to Helena).

And now the ones were we have to ask authors with more than one
contribution:

There are several commands by
* Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)
* USDA Fellow
* Department of Agricultural Engineering
* Purdue University
* West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1146 USA

* Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
* documentation for non-commercial purposes is hereby granted. This
* software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

grass/src/sites/s.perturb/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.normal/main.c,v
grass/src/sites/s.perturb/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.rand/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.qcount/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.kcv/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.probplt/zstats.c
grass/src/sites/s.sample/main.c
grass/src/misc/m.ipf/main.c

  Jaroslav Hofierka:
   He seems to have added software in 2000, when GRASS already
  was released under GPL.

* This program, both binary and source is copyrighted, but available without
* fee for education, research and non-commercial purposes.

grass/src/raster/r.flowmd/rflow5f_1.c
grass/src/raster/r.sun/sun11.c,v

(c) Copyright 2000: GeoModel s.r.o. Bratislava, Slovakia,
    http://www.geomodel.sk

If necessary, please contact the authors at hofierka@geomodel.sk or
paudits@gssr.sk

grass/src.contrib/GMSL/g3d/src3d/raster/r3.mapcalc
r3.mapcalc: 3D map algebra for GRASS GIS. GRASS G3D library is required.
grass/src.contrib/GMSL/g3d/src3d/raster/r3.in.v5d/main.c

And now the authors with minor contributions where we can ask:

  Jos van der Woude
# Permission granted to distribute freely for non-commercial purposes only
# Copyright (c) 1991, 1992 Jos van der Woude, jvdwoude@@hut.nl
grass/src/sites/s.qcount/tutorial/stat.inc
  
** Written by Nalneesh Gaur, Baxter E. Vieux summer 1993
** University of Oklahoma, Norman, Ok - 73019
** Copyright Baxter E. Vieux, Nalneesh Gaur 1993
** This software may not be used for commercial purposes without the prior
** Permission of the authors. The methodology and the technique used in
** these programs is a property of the authors.
** r.water.fea program, This program calls other programs */
grass/src.contrib/CERL/raster/r.water.fea/src/inter/main.c

grass/src/libes/geom/basic/cb_doprnt.c
  Steve Summit

And now the ones which look like we do not have a big chance here,
I suggest moving them into non.GPL until we can get an answer:

  Numerical Recipes:

grass/src.contrib/CERL/sites/s.surf.krig/NR.c
/*-
NUMERICAL RECIPES ROUTINES BELOW
ludcmp routine - finds inverse of matrix A
/*-lubksb routine - multiplies inverse of matrix A (from lucmp) by matrix b
* and returns matrix x (weights) in "b".

  Ferdinando Villa
  Institute of Ecology, University of Parma
  Viale delle Scienze, 43100 Parma, Italy
  email: villa@eagle.bio.unipr.it

The software in ./lib has been developed under commercial contract. I have
obtained permission to distribute it provided that:

  1) it is only used within the GRASS package I am distributed;
  2) it is only used for non-profit purposes.
grass/src.contrib/OTHER/r.concordance

  Ennio Pozzetti
grass/src.garden/grass.oracle2/d.ora.rast/cmd/idc.c
/* Copyright (C) 1994-1999 NSA srl - Ennio Pozzetti (pozzetti@@nsa.it)
* All rights reserved.
*
* Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
* modification, are not permitted without the Author written permission.
*
* This library is free for non-commercial use as long as
* the following conditions are aheared to. The following conditions
  * The licence and distribution terms for any available version or

* derivative of this code cannot be changed. i.e. this code cannot simply be
* copied and put under another distribution licence
* [including the GNU Public Licence.]

Anybody want to contact somebody from the list?
  Bernhard
--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

2

Hi Bernhard,

thank you for searching the code for license problems.
We already had a discussion and it's time to go ahead
for further changes!

Those not involved into the discussion december 1999 can
peek at src.nonGPL/list_of_nonGPL_modules.txt

Concering "Numerical Receipes in C": There was an exclusive
grant to CERL for GRASS, as far as I know (it is cited somewhere
in the code). So we might be allowed to use it under GPL
as well (although "Numerical..." publishers are very strict
the last years.). A better suggestion for numerical algorithm
is, as they are widely needed in GRASS:
- build in a GPL package
- probably like a "plugin" library

Advantages:
- clear code structure
- one reference only (less prone to errors)
- currently missing functions can be easily provided
- well known numerical libraries are known as stable and reliable
- probably a way to "easily" change it to a parallelized library
   for CPU clusters
- etc. etc.

I think we can find a math library at www.netlib.org.
Suggestions are welcome!

Yours

Markus

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:05:16PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:

With the recent license changes of the Uicu Group with Helena and Bill,
I started with the tedious task to check through the huge GRASS sources
for similiar problems. It is tedious because it can only create bad news,
but somebody has to do it...

Searching for the keyword "commercial"
I turned up a couple of problematic cases.

Let's start with the easy ones:
  The ones involving uicu were mailed to Helena directly and
  I expect them to released under GPL soon (Thanks to Helena).

And now the ones were we have to ask authors with more than one
contribution:

There are several commands by
* Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)
* USDA Fellow
* Department of Agricultural Engineering
* Purdue University
* West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1146 USA

* Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
* documentation for non-commercial purposes is hereby granted. This
* software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

grass/src/sites/s.perturb/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.normal/main.c,v
grass/src/sites/s.perturb/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.rand/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.qcount/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.kcv/main.c
grass/src/sites/s.probplt/zstats.c
grass/src/sites/s.sample/main.c
grass/src/misc/m.ipf/main.c

  Jaroslav Hofierka:
   He seems to have added software in 2000, when GRASS already
  was released under GPL.

* This program, both binary and source is copyrighted, but available without
* fee for education, research and non-commercial purposes.

grass/src/raster/r.flowmd/rflow5f_1.c
grass/src/raster/r.sun/sun11.c,v

(c) Copyright 2000: GeoModel s.r.o. Bratislava, Slovakia,
    http://www.geomodel.sk

If necessary, please contact the authors at hofierka@geomodel.sk or
paudits@gssr.sk

grass/src.contrib/GMSL/g3d/src3d/raster/r3.mapcalc
r3.mapcalc: 3D map algebra for GRASS GIS. GRASS G3D library is required.
grass/src.contrib/GMSL/g3d/src3d/raster/r3.in.v5d/main.c

And now the authors with minor contributions where we can ask:

  Jos van der Woude
# Permission granted to distribute freely for non-commercial purposes only
# Copyright (c) 1991, 1992 Jos van der Woude, jvdwoude@@hut.nl
grass/src/sites/s.qcount/tutorial/stat.inc
  
** Written by Nalneesh Gaur, Baxter E. Vieux summer 1993
** University of Oklahoma, Norman, Ok - 73019
** Copyright Baxter E. Vieux, Nalneesh Gaur 1993
** This software may not be used for commercial purposes without the prior
** Permission of the authors. The methodology and the technique used in
** these programs is a property of the authors.
** r.water.fea program, This program calls other programs */
grass/src.contrib/CERL/raster/r.water.fea/src/inter/main.c

grass/src/libes/geom/basic/cb_doprnt.c
  Steve Summit

And now the ones which look like we do not have a big chance here,
I suggest moving them into non.GPL until we can get an answer:

  Numerical Recipes:

grass/src.contrib/CERL/sites/s.surf.krig/NR.c
/*-
NUMERICAL RECIPES ROUTINES BELOW
ludcmp routine - finds inverse of matrix A
/*-lubksb routine - multiplies inverse of matrix A (from lucmp) by matrix b
* and returns matrix x (weights) in "b".

  Ferdinando Villa
  Institute of Ecology, University of Parma
  Viale delle Scienze, 43100 Parma, Italy
  email: villa@eagle.bio.unipr.it

The software in ./lib has been developed under commercial contract. I have
obtained permission to distribute it provided that:

  1) it is only used within the GRASS package I am distributed;
  2) it is only used for non-profit purposes.
grass/src.contrib/OTHER/r.concordance

  Ennio Pozzetti
grass/src.garden/grass.oracle2/d.ora.rast/cmd/idc.c
/* Copyright (C) 1994-1999 NSA srl - Ennio Pozzetti (pozzetti@@nsa.it)
* All rights reserved.
*
* Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
* modification, are not permitted without the Author written permission.
*
* This library is free for non-commercial use as long as
* the following conditions are aheared to. The following conditions
  * The licence and distribution terms for any available version or

* derivative of this code cannot be changed. i.e. this code cannot simply be
* copied and put under another distribution licence
* [including the GNU Public Licence.]

Anybody want to contact somebody from the list?
  Bernhard
--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

--
Dipl.-Geogr. Markus Neteler * University of Hannover
Institute of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology
Schneiderberg 50 * D-30167 Hannover * Germany
Tel: ++49-(0)511-762-4494 Fax: -3984

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3

Bernhard Reiter wrote:

With the recent license changes of the Uicu Group with Helena and Bill,
I started with the tedious task to check through the huge GRASS sources
for similiar problems. It is tedious because it can only create bad news,
but somebody has to do it...

Searching for the keyword "commercial"
I turned up a couple of problematic cases.

[...........]

And now the ones which look like we do not have a big chance here,
I suggest moving them into non.GPL until we can get an answer:

        Numerical Recipes:

grass/src.contrib/CERL/sites/s.surf.krig/NR.c
/*-
NUMERICAL RECIPES ROUTINES BELOW
ludcmp routine - finds inverse of matrix A
/*-lubksb routine - multiplies inverse of matrix A (from lucmp) by matrix b
* and returns matrix x (weights) in "b".

Bernhard

I've come acroos this before (I'm exorcising NR stuff from code in
another project at present - it's common in ecological software).
Basically it's a scam. Anyone implementing code in these simple
mathematical routines would be likely to come up with `substantially
identical code'. It's also largely the same set of basic math routines
implemented in gsl (just a little more complete at present - but not so
well designed as gsl). Anyway in this case it's just a matrix inversion
and multiplication problem. If that's OK with the author, they should be
easy to replace. I will look into that if I can track down the authors.

David

Anybody want to contact somebody from the list?
        Bernhard
--

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4

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 11:37:18PM +0100, Markus Neteler wrote:

thank you for searching the code for license problems.
We already had a discussion and it's time to go ahead
for further changes!

Yeah, we have to ask all the authors first.

Those not involved into the discussion december 1999 can
peek at src.nonGPL/list_of_nonGPL_modules.txt

Concering "Numerical Receipes in C": There was an exclusive
grant to CERL for GRASS, as far as I know (it is cited somewhere
in the code). So we might be allowed to use it under GPL
as well

No, I do not think so.
(This is why I have put it under the "not much hope section".)

A better suggestion for numerical algorithm
is, as they are widely needed in GRASS:
- build in a GPL package
- probably like a "plugin" library

There are several implementations of these well known algorithms.
We should just take another implementation.

A math library is alway a good idea.
Maybe GRASS can adopt one.

> And now the ones which look like we do not have a big chance here,
> I suggest moving them into non.GPL until we can get an answer:
>
>
> Numerical Recipes:
>
> grass/src.contrib/CERL/sites/s.surf.krig/NR.c
> /*-
> NUMERICAL RECIPES ROUTINES BELOW
> ludcmp routine - finds inverse of matrix A
> /*-lubksb routine - multiplies inverse of matrix A (from lucmp) by matrix b
> * and returns matrix x (weights) in "b".
>
>
> Ferdinando Villa
> Institute of Ecology, University of Parma
> Viale delle Scienze, 43100 Parma, Italy
> email: villa@eagle.bio.unipr.it
>
> The software in ./lib has been developed under commercial contract. I have
> obtained permission to distribute it provided that:
>
> 1) it is only used within the GRASS package I am distributed;
> 2) it is only used for non-profit purposes.
> grass/src.contrib/OTHER/r.concordance
>
>
>
> Ennio Pozzetti
> grass/src.garden/grass.oracle2/d.ora.rast/cmd/idc.c
> /* Copyright (C) 1994-1999 NSA srl - Ennio Pozzetti (pozzetti@@nsa.it)
> * All rights reserved.
> *
> * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
> * modification, are not permitted without the Author written permission.
> *
> * This library is free for non-commercial use as long as
> * the following conditions are aheared to. The following conditions
> * The licence and distribution terms for any available version or
>
> * derivative of this code cannot be changed. i.e. this code cannot simply be
> * copied and put under another distribution licence
> * [including the GNU Public Licence.]
>
>
> Anybody want to contact somebody from the list?
> Bernhard
> --
> Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
> The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
> Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

5

David,

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:47:29PM +0000, David D Gray wrote:

[ Numerical Recipe Stuff in GRASS ]

It's also largely the same set of basic math routines
implemented in gsl (just a little more complete at present - but not so
well designed as gsl). Anyway in this case it's just a matrix inversion
and multiplication problem. If that's OK with the author, they should be
easy to replace. I will look into that if I can track down the authors.

I think that you can start replacing the code anyway.
And I would be grateful if you did.
There is not much what the author of the grass command
can do about it anyway.
  Bernhard

--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

6

An update on the licensing issue:

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:05:16PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:

There are several commands by
* Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)
* USDA Fellow
* Department of Agricultural Engineering
* Purdue University
* West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1146 USA

Darrell left Purdue in 1995, it took me a couple of minutes to
find a working email address for him: darrell@mccauley-usa.com
His homepage is at http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/

I have send him an email about the license problem.

(Jeeez-another-hour-I-could-have-been-hacking :slight_smile: )
  Bernhard
--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

7

Got answer from Darrell,
it is alright with him to release his contributions under GPL.
I have made the changes to the source files in CVS.
Thanks Darrell!

I tried to identify all source files in the subdirectories
which were written by him and added an additional notice that he
holds the copyright.

Example to show you the short version, from:
  grass/src/sites/s.sample/nearest.c
/*
* Copyright (C) 1994. James Darrell McCauley. (darrell@mccauley-usa.com)
* http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/
*
* This program is free software under the GPL (>=v2)
* Read the file GPL.TXT coming with GRASS for details.
*/

The main files do have the long version, naturally.

  Bernhard

On Tue, Sep 12, 2000 at 07:56:23PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:05:16PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:

> There are several commands by
> * Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)

Darrell left Purdue in 1995, it took me a couple of minutes to
find a working email address for him: darrell@mccauley-usa.com
His homepage is at http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/

I have send him an email about the license problem.

--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

8

I'm glad that progress continues with our beloved GRASS.

My memories of GRASS are good ones. My experiences helped prepare me to have
a nice career in software development. I wish all of you the best.

Darrell McCauley
darrell@mccauley-usa.com

Note: my permanent web site is http://mccauley-usa.com, not the URL given
below.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernhard Reiter [mailto:bernhard@intevation.de]
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 4:31 AM
To: Grass Developers Mailinglist
Cc: darrell@mccauley-usa.com
Subject: Re: [GRASS5] Digging for license problems

Got answer from Darrell,
it is alright with him to release his contributions under GPL.
I have made the changes to the source files in CVS.
Thanks Darrell!

I tried to identify all source files in the subdirectories
which were written by him and added an additional notice that he
holds the copyright.

Example to show you the short version, from:
  grass/src/sites/s.sample/nearest.c
/*
* Copyright (C) 1994. James Darrell McCauley. (darrell@mccauley-usa.com)
*
http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/
*
* This program is free software under the GPL (>=v2)
* Read the file GPL.TXT coming with GRASS for details.
*/

The main files do have the long version, naturally.

  Bernhard

On Tue, Sep 12, 2000 at 07:56:23PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:05:16PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
>
> > There are several commands by
> > * Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)

> Darrell left Purdue in 1995, it took me a couple of minutes to
> find a working email address for him: darrell@mccauley-usa.com
> His homepage is at http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/
>
> I have send him an email about the license problem.

--
Professional Service around Free Software
(intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

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9

Bernhard Reiter wrote:

David,

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:47:29PM +0000, David D Gray wrote:

[ Numerical Recipe Stuff in GRASS ]

> It's also largely the same set of basic math routines
> implemented in gsl (just a little more complete at present - but not so
> well designed as gsl). Anyway in this case it's just a matrix inversion
> and multiplication problem. If that's OK with the author, they should be
> easy to replace. I will look into that if I can track down the authors.

I think that you can start replacing the code anyway.
And I would be grateful if you did.
There is not much what the author of the grass command
can do about it anyway.
        Bernhard

--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Part 1.2Type: application/pgp-signature

I will replace the linear algebra routines some time over the next few
days.

David

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10

On Wed, Sep 13, 2000 at 07:55:41AM -0500, Darrell McCauley wrote:

I'm glad that progress continues with our beloved GRASS.

My memories of GRASS are good ones. My experiences helped prepare me to have
a nice career in software development. I wish all of you the best.

Darrell McCauley
darrell@mccauley-usa.com

Note: my permanent web site is http://mccauley-usa.com, not the URL given
below.

Sorry for the mistake,
there was not link to your http://mccauley-usa.com page from the other
one that I noticed.

I will correct it.
  Bernhard

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bernhard Reiter [mailto:bernhard@intevation.de]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 4:31 AM
> To: Grass Developers Mailinglist
> Cc: darrell@mccauley-usa.com
> Subject: Re: [GRASS5] Digging for license problems
>
>
> Got answer from Darrell,
> it is alright with him to release his contributions under GPL.
> I have made the changes to the source files in CVS.
> Thanks Darrell!
>
> I tried to identify all source files in the subdirectories
> which were written by him and added an additional notice that he
> holds the copyright.
>
> Example to show you the short version, from:
> grass/src/sites/s.sample/nearest.c
> /*
> * Copyright (C) 1994. James Darrell McCauley. (darrell@mccauley-usa.com)
> *
> http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/
> *
> * This program is free software under the GPL (>=v2)
> * Read the file GPL.TXT coming with GRASS for details.
> */
>
> The main files do have the long version, naturally.
>
> Bernhard
>
> On Tue, Sep 12, 2000 at 07:56:23PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> > On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:05:16PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> >
> > > There are several commands by
> > > * Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)
>
> > Darrell left Purdue in 1995, it took me a couple of minutes to
> > find a working email address for him: darrell@mccauley-usa.com
> > His homepage is at http://www.usol.com/~mccauley/
> >
> > I have send him an email about the license problem.
>
>
> --
> Professional Service around Free Software
> (intevation.net)
> The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
> Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)
>

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11

On Wed, Sep 13, 2000 at 02:36:04PM +0000, David D Gray wrote:

Bernhard Reiter wrote:

I will replace the linear algebra routines some time over the next few
days.

Great.
  Bernhard

--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)

12

Hi folks,
here an update on the situation of grass code license problems:

On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 10:05:16PM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:

  The ones involving uicu were mailed to Helena directly and
  I expect them to released under GPL soon (Thanks to Helena).

No answer from Helena yet. Still _waiting_.

There are several commands by
* Author: James Darrell McCauley (mccauley@@ecn.purdue.edu)

Darrell released his code under GPL. _Resolved_

  Jaroslav Hofierka:

Contacted. He mailed my that we wants his code to be GPL compatible.
I am waiting for a reconfirmation mail by Jaro and then will change the
license texts in his code.

  Jos van der Woude
# Copyright (c) 1991, 1992 Jos van der Woude, jvdwoude@@hut.nl

Still to be contacted.

** Written by Nalneesh Gaur, Baxter E. Vieux summer 1993

Have to Search address.

  Steve Summit

Have to Search address.

NUMERICAL RECIPES ROUTINES BELOW
ludcmp routine - finds inverse of matrix A

David will replace this algebraic routine in the next days.

  Ferdinando Villa
  email: villa@eagle.bio.unipr.it

Still to be contacted.

  Ennio Pozzetti
/* Copyright (C) 1994-1999 NSA srl - Ennio Pozzetti (pozzetti@@nsa.it)

Still to be contacted.

  Bernhard
--
Professional Service around Free Software (intevation.net)
The FreeGIS Project (freegis.org)
Association for a Free Informational Infrastructure (ffii.org)