fenics team mailing list archive

[Anders Logg <logg@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Apr 05, 2011 at 11:49:05AM +0200, Harish Narayanan wrote:
> On 4/5/11 8:39 AM, Anders Logg wrote:
> > We're making good progress with collecting the copyright forms and
> > should soon be able to make the switch to LPGL.
> >
> > A couple of points I'd like to make:
> >
> > 1. When someone submits patches, maintainers first need to ask
> > contributors to sign the two forms. Otherwise, we risk having to run
> > after people we don't know to sign the forms later.
> >
> > 2. FEniCS Apps should have the exact same license as the rest of the
> > code, simply because that enables copying of code from Apps to Core.
> > It is natural (and desirable) that some of the code developed as part
> > of an App moves into DOLFIN if it's found that code may be useful to
> > other projects.
> >
> > This means CBC.Solve needs to either use the LPGL, or, if Harish still
> > objects, be removed from FEniCS Apps or CBC.Twist removed from
> > CBC.Solve.
>
> I understand and mostly agree with what you are saying.
>
> The only strong opinion I have is about cbc.twist. Not to be difficult,
> but I genuinely feel its goals---being a test-bed to learn and educate
> others about mechanics---are best served if any further projects built
> upon it are developed in an open fashion. To enforce this, I would like
> it to remain GPL.
>
> I think the easiest solution here is that I split cbc.twist from
> cbc.solve. This allows the rest of cbc.solve to then be an LGPL FEniCS
> App, and I have no other qualms about signing the license change forms.

Just for the record, I think this turned out well. My only argument
for enforcing LGPL on CBC.Solve was a practical one (having the same
license accross all FEniCS projects). Now that we make FEniCS Apps
something separate, or more inclusive depending how you look at it
(anything can now be a FEniCS App), I think the GPL is the better
choice of license for CBC.Solve.

Both Harish and I are strong FSF/GPL supporters so this is really an
Emacs vs XEmacs, or even Emacs22 vs Emacs23 type argument. :-)

--
Anders