PanoTools NG:
Re: Re: ptLens - PAID?!
Roger Howard 2009-Nov-18 17:38:50
On Nov 18, 2009, at 7:14 AM, tschnitzlein wrote:
> The mere fact that PTLens is based on the PanoTools open-source software doesn't mean it also has to be open-source itself.
Of course not - but if this isn't a derivative work, I'm not sure what is. It's statically linked to PanoTools, it's clearly dependent on it, it would be completely broken without it.
> The PTLens software author has invested substantial time in developing and evolving his software, which is more than just a GUI for PanoTools today. Also, the software author manages a database of a very large and growing lens distortion parameter sets.
The amount of time someone has invested has absolutely nothing to do with the compliance with the license of tools it's derived from... it looks like an excellent product, btw, but that's also beside the point. Since I have no stake in the copyright of PanoTools, I'm just speaking generally here - it's a valid question, for sure.
Just downloaded the demo for Mac OSX - I can't even find a copyright notice for the GPL parts... no mention of panotools in the download.
> This in itself is more than enough to justify asking users for a license fee.
Of course - I can ask for a license fee for Ubunto too - but that doesn't mean I'm exempt from the other requirements of its license.
> And - it may have occurred to you: The license fee is quite moderate.
This, also, has nothing to do with the question (but yes, it's a good price).
FWIW, it's important to note that the GPL does not preclude asking for a license fee, but the fairness of the fee (if there is one) doesn't preclude the need to comply with the rest of the terms of the license.
Finally, I have no idea if PTLens is compliant with PanoTools license or not - but the fairness of the price asked or the amount of work the author of PTLens put in, have nothing to do with whether it's compliant. You may not like the stipulations of the GPL, but it makes a fair offer - useful code in exchange for agreeing to certain restrictions - no one twists any developer's arms to use GPL'ed code.
-R
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