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OPEN CAD FORMAT

martin
2007-09-18
2013-04-30
  • martin

    martin - 2007-09-18

    Hi all: 

    We are working in a new cad format here: 
    http://groups.google.com/group/open_cad_format 

    There many interesting people inside.

    It would be your CAD opinion here: 
    http://groups.google.com/group/open_cad_format/web 

    Regards.

     
    • David Lark

      David Lark - 2007-09-22

      I didn't feel like getting a Google login, so I'm replying to some of your concerns here.

      http://groups.google.com/group/open_cad_format states:

      the openDWG doesn't allow to use its libraries with GPL licenses type.  In fact here there is not any type of freedom.

      but opendesign.com states:

      # Associate Membership is free.
      # You may incorporate the Open Design Alliance libraries into programs that are used within your organization or school, or are distributed for free to the general public via the Worldwide Web.  You may not, however, distribute these programs in any commercial fashion, or in conjunction with any other commercial software applications. (This membership level is also appropriate if you are developing commercial application programs incorporating our libraries, but are not shipping. At such time as you are ready to ship, you may upgrade to a higher membership level.)

      I haven't found the full text of their license, but this sounds compatible w/ GPL (not LGPL). What am I missing?

      BTW, I've been busy, but I'm trying to get back to doing Archimedes stuff. The file format is my major interest right now.

       
      • Hugo Corbucci

        Hugo Corbucci - 2007-09-22

        Well,
        It is very simple:
        You don't have the right to distribute the source code. And you must be a member of the alliance to have access to the libraries.

        Basically, it means I cannot join the alliance, get the source code, make my own version to Archimedes and release the source code with Archimedes. The result of this is that it is not Open at all. It is only free to anyone willing to accept the license terms. Furthermore, it is strictly forbidden to distribute the libraries specification (which would allow people to use the binaries). People MUST be a member of the alliance to use the libs.

        Archimedes' development is currently stalled because I'm not finding time to code anything. I'm enrolled in a Computational Geometry course so I'm learning a lot and hope to be back to work by mid november. File format is a serious concern and I'm mainly accepting the fact to support only DXF in a first moment. We will deal with DWG later I think.

        Friendly,
        Hugo

         

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