Re: [OctDev] GPL violations

[David B. <dba...@db...>]

Judd Storrs wrote:
> Sorry to be the hatchet man, but... I'll tear the band-aid quickly:
>
> The following packages violate the licensing terms of the various octave
> releases (GPLv2,3) and cannot be distributed even as source code.
>
> GPC :: http://octave.sourceforge.net/gpc/index.html
>   
The author of this package has been approached in the past about the 
compatibility of his code with the GPL and he had no desire to change 
his license or allow distribution.. I'd be happy to see this package go, 
but maybe you should talk with Rafael Laboissiere first.

Now that we've confirmed than use of the MEX interface with non-free 
software is legitimate with Octave, a MEX interface can be written. If 
the MEX interface itself is under an open-source license and GPC itself 
isn't on octave-forge I don't see why the GPC package can't stay. But 
again I'd also be happy enough to see it go.

> spline-gcvspl :: http://octave.sourceforge.net/spline-gcvspl/index.html
>   
Well as this software was written in the late eighties when strange 
non-commercial licenses were the norm, the license issue here is normal. 
Unfortunately, when the author was approached a few years back it turned 
out that he was dead, and no attempts to contact his next of kin were 
made. Though as the code is copyrighted May 1986 in the Netherlands, a 
question to ask is how long is copyright in the netherlands? If its 25 
years, then this code becomes public in May next year any way.  If 
someone wanted to try, contacting the authoring next of kin might be an 
option. However, Octave has good spline code now and so this package can 
probably go if it causes problems

> Both packages must be purged from octave-forge.
>   
"modified" yes ... "must be" is a bit strong though

D.