[Freegis-list] free ecw?

[Frank Warmerdam]

On 6/17/05, Stefano Maffulli <stef at zoomata.com> wrote:
> Please, double chech.  They seem to have very confused ideas of what is
> the GNU GPL, it might be still non-free software.  Can you please try to
> download the package and read the exact EULA? I could not find in the
> url provided

Stefano, 

I don't believe that the ERM public use license qualifies under
the free software definition due to a few limitations.  Notably
the one disallowing changes to the ECW format, and the apparent
disallowing of distributing modified versions of the code except
via patch sets. 

Nevertheless, this license does seem to remove the condition
with regard to server software that was in earlier versions and for
my purposes is fine.  I think the glitches only arise with software
distributions (such as Debian) where strict adherance to the free
software definition would be required. 

I would add that packagings of GDAL that include components
that do not adhere to the "all source available" constraints would
be disallowed by this license.  So I won't be able to distribute
a GDAL that links in MrSID and ECW libraries under this license.
I would need to do so under the commercial or free use license. 

Generally speaking I think that ERMapper has gone a long ways
to make the ECW SDK accessable to free software developers
within the constraint that they want to prevent balkanization of
the ECW file format, and that they want to force other terms on
proprietary software vendors not willing to release all their source
under comparible terms. 

ObDisclosure: I'm partly in ERMappers pay, and so not necessarily
objective.  

ObDislaimer: I do not speak for ERMapper. 

Best regards
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent