#set TITLE = "copyright and license" #include top .ig >> == Begin ploticus 2.42 copyright notice ==

ploticus 2.42 data display software. Copyright 1998-2009 Stephen C. Grubb

The home page for PLOTICUS is http://ploticus.sourceforge.net The source code, binaries for some platforms, documentation, and examples may be freely downloaded from that site.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

GNU General Public License  

A copy of the GNU General Public License should be present with the code, in file GPL.txt. A copy of the GNU General Public License may also be obtained from: Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St - Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.

Clarifications:

The following clarifications are based on my understanding of the GPL. In case of contradiction, the GPL is the final authority on all of these matters.

Q1. Can I make modifications to ploticus code?

Yes, but any derivatives must be made freely available as GPL code. This is because your modifications might be good ones that would be useful to the ploticus user community. This makes things fair for all the developers who have contributed to ploticus code thus far.

You must keep the GPL.txt and Copyright files intact in the source code directory (add your own "Modifications made by" language to the top of the Copyright file). It must be stated in an end-user-accessible copyright or acknowledgements area that the package is "a GPL derivative of Ploticus data display engine (c) 1998-2009 Stephen Grubb, freely available from http://ploticus.sourceforge.net". I request notification of the availability of all such derivatives (stevegrubb@gmail.com) so that I can link to them from the ploticus home page and consider possible inclusion in the main fork.

Q2. Can ploticus be used as part of a commercial (for-profit) product or service?

The GPL allows you to use ploticus to produce graphs for any lawful commercial or noncommercial purpose, including providing services (automated or by hand) for a fee. For example, there's no problem with executing a standard unmodified version of ploticus on your server to produce graphs as part of a fee-based service.

Q3. Can ploticus be included/distributed as part of a non-GPL product?

Selling or distributing ploticus as a non-GPL product offering is prohibited. Combining or intermingling of ploticus source code with non-GPL source code is prohibited (thus the libploticus API cannot be used in this context).

However it is possible to distribute ploticus "along side of" non-GPL code if it is partitioned ("kept at arm's length") from the non-GPL code. The GPL addresses this issue here.

Partitioning is likely to be sufficient if all of these conditions are met: 1) ploticus (or GPL derivative) must be invoked as an executable, not via the libploticus API; 2) your product must be viable in its own right and essentially usable with or without ploticus; 3) ploticus-supported graphics capability may not be sold as an additional cost option; 4) if you've made modifications to the ploticus code you must abide by section Q1 above. 5) ploticus source code is kept in a separate directory, and the GPL.txt and Copyright files therein kept intact; 6) ploticus identity and authorship must be clearly stated and visible. It must be stated in a end-user-accessible copyright or acknowledgements area that the product utilizes "Ploticus data display engine (c) 1998-2009 Stephen Grubb, GPL, freely available from http://ploticus.sourceforge.net".

I request notification of the availability of all such products (stevegrubb@gmail.com)so that I can monitor compliance and link to them from the ploticus home page.

If you have questions or need clarification please contact me (stevegrubb@gmail.com) .... I take an active interest in seeing that these rules are adhered to, and request notification of any suspected violations.

Q4. How should ploticus be cited if it was used in the production of a published work?

Citation is always appreciated. Language like this is suggested: Graphical data displays were produced using Ploticus software (ploticus.sf.net).

Q5. Can I deploy a mirror copy of the ploticus web site, or of a portion?

Yes, provided you include a prominent link back to the original site (ploticus.sourceforge.net)

Q6. Can I produce language translations of ploticus manual pages and put them on the web?

Yes, provided you include a prominent link back to the original page on ploticus.sourceforge.net. Please also include the translator's name near the top of the page, and mention that the translated page has not been reviewed in any way by the original author.

== end of clarifications == 


SVG driver copyright 2001 Bill Traill  bill@traill.demon.co.uk 
SWF driver copyright 2003 Bill Traill  bill@traill.demon.co.uk 

Ploticus generates PNG and run-length-encoded GIF-compatible 
output using portions of Thomas Boutell's gd library versions 
1.6.3 and 1.3.  ploticus does not read GIF files.
GD 1.6.3 and 1.3 (www.boutell.com) carry the following statements:
   |
   |	Portions copyright 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 by 
   |	Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Funded under Grant 
   |	P41-RR02188 by the National Institutes of Health.
   |	
   |	Portions copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, by Boutell.Com, Inc.
   | 
   |    Portions relating to GD2 format copyright 1999 Philip Warner.
   |
   |    Portions relating to PNG copyright 1999, Greg Roelofs.
   | 
   |    Portions relating to libttf copyright 1999, John Ellson
   |    (ellson@lucent.com).
   |	
   |	(Although his LZW compression code no longer appears 
   |	in gd, the authors wish to thank David Rowley for the 
   |	original LZW-based GIF compression code, which has been 
   |	removed due to patent concerns.)
   |	
   |	Non-LZW-based GIF compression code copyright 1998, by 
   |	Hutchison Avenue Software Corporation (http://www.hasc.com/, 
   |	info@hasc.com).
   |	
   |	Permission has been granted to copy and distribute gd 
   |	in any context, including a commercial application, 
   |	provided that this notice is present in user-accessible 
   |	supporting documentation.
   |	
   |	This does not affect your ownership of the derived work 
   |	itself, and the intent is to assure proper credit for the 
   |	authors of gd, not to interfere with your productive use 
   |	of gd. If you have questions, ask. "Derived works" includes 
   |	all programs that utilize the library. Credit must be 
   |	given in user-accessible documentation.
   |	
   |	Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute gd
   |	and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is 
   |	hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice 
   |	appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice 
   |	and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. 
   |	This software is provided "as is" without express or implied 
   |	warranty.
   |


== End of ploticus 2.42 Copyright Notice ==
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