[GiNaC-list] GiNaC Licensing

[Richard B. Kreckel]

Hi!

Graham Hemingway wrote:
> I am working on an open source 3D solid modeling kernel (
> http://wildcat-cad.blogger.com and http://wildcat-cad.googlecode.com).  It
> allows users to sketch 2D profiles and extrude them into 3D to form
> mechanical parts.  The 2D sketches are constrained with dimensions (lengths,
> angles, etc.) and these constraints naturally form a system of equations.
>  An unrelated project (http://code.google.com/p/psketcher) has developed a
> very nice solver for these systems of equations.  The psketcher project uses
> GiNaC as its mathematical engine.
> 
> I would like to incorporate the psketcher solver into my kernel, but there
> may be a conflict in licenses.  My project is released under the BSD
> license, while I understand GiNaC to be under the GPL.  Is there any way to
> reconcile this problem other than changing to a different license?  I would
> love to use GiNaC for a couple of other purposes within my project also.
>  Any help would be appreciated.

But that license conflict is not just about GiNaC. CLN and pSketcher are 
GPL, too. Changing all these licenses is next to impossible. Even trying 
to contact all copyright holders and pursuing them to dual-license their 
portions would be extremely challenging. If only one says "no", you are 
stuck.

It'll be much easier releasing your projects under the GPL. You should 
consider that. It is a good license.

happy hacking
     -richy.
-- 
Richard B. Kreckel
<http://www.ginac.de/~kreckel/>