Thread: [Gpsbabel-misc] licensing
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From: mark <ma...@gp...> - 2008-08-30 20:46:44
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I am the author of GPS2CAD, a program designed to extract gps data from garmin and Magellan units, convert it to different x,y formats, and plot it into autocad. It is a commercial program that has been available for several years. I'm currently re-writing the import/export module, and began looking at GPSBabel as a tool to make this easier. However I'm not sure I understand the licensing issues. Here's what I need to do: - import waypoints, routes, and tracks from output files of several different programs, such as Garmin MapSource, Magellan Mapsend, de Lormes tools, geocaching tools, etc - convert the data to a comma-delimited text format that I can use to import into GPS2CAD >From what I can tell, other commercial programs use gpsbabel as a command-line tool to do this type of work. This is what I would like to do, but I still need to sell my program, and protect my source code. Is this something I can do the way GPSBabel is licensed? Can I purchase the program to do it? I would also be interested in making my project file format available for inclusion in the conversion capabilities of GPSBabel. Any help would be appreciated. I'm sure you've had this question many times before, and I apologize if I've bothered you with the inquiry. I spent hours on the net researching this, and was unable to find the answer. Thanks Mark Crigler Phoenix, Arizona, USA 602-978-0720 www.gps2cad.com <http://www.gps2cad.com/> |
From: Robert L. <rob...@gp...> - 2008-09-02 06:26:10
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On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 3:46 PM, mark <ma...@gp...> wrote: > I am the author of GPS2CAD, a program designed to extract gps data from > garmin and Magellan units, convert it to different x,y formats, and plot it > into autocad. It is a commercial program that has been available for several > years. > I'm the primary author and lead devlopment of GPSBabel. I can speak for it. > I'm currently re-writing the import/export module, and began looking at > GPSBabel as a tool to make this easier. However I'm not sure I understand > the licensing issues. > > > > Here's what I need to do: > > - import waypoints, routes, and tracks from output files of > several different programs, such as Garmin MapSource, Magellan Mapsend, de > Lormes tools, geocaching tools, etc > > > > - convert the data to a comma-delimited text format that I can > use to import into GPS2CAD > >From a technical view, this is a walk in the park. From what I can tell, other commercial programs use gpsbabel as a > command-line tool to do this type of work. This is what I would like to do, > but I still need to sell my program, and protect my source code. Is this > something I can do the way GPSBabel is licensed? Can I purchase the program > to do it? I would also be interested in making my project file format > available for inclusion in the conversion capabilities of GPSBabel. Any help > would be appreciated. > As long as you obey the terms of GPLv2, you can do what you describe. There are many points in the license. The ones that surprise people not accustomed to open source is that you have to have to be prepared to redistribute the source to anything you got from us, the source to any mods you made, and you have to tell people that they have the right to see and use that source. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html is pretty readable explanation. > I'm sure you've had this question many times before, and I apologize if > I've bothered you with the inquiry. I spent hours on the net researching > this, and was unable to find the answer. > Also, from a business and programmer-to-programmer view, we ask that you help the project as it helped you. If it saves you from buying a trunk full of GPSes, reverse engineering file formats, implementing cross-platform hardware support, and so on, please consider helping us defray costs of equipment and legal needs as well as our time. Thanx, RJL > Thanks > > Mark Crigler > > Phoenix, Arizona, USA > > 602-978-0720 > > > > www.gps2cad.com > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's > challenge > Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great > prizes > Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world > http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ > _______________________________________________ > Gpsbabel-misc mailing list http://www.gpsbabel.org > Gps...@li... > To unsubscribe, change list options, or see archives, visit: > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gpsbabel-misc > > |