Clarification: PyMOL is BSD-style open source code, not GPL. > May I re-distribute the compiled program?
Yes, but: The key condition of redistribution is that modified PyMOL code (source or binary) must be plainly distinguished from the version DeLano Scientific LLC maintains & distributes. Given that we claim the "PyMOL" Trademark, the obvious way to do this is to use a different name for your distribution that does not use or include "PyMOL". Also note that all derivatives must preserve the Copyright notice. DeLano Scientific remains firmly committed to PyMOL as a BSD-style open-source project. However, as a matter of basic economic survival, we will defend the PyMOL Trademark by all legal means available. If we fail to survive economically, then our development of Open-Source PyMOL will end. So please, if you depend upon Open-Source PyMOL, respect the Trademark -- it is in your interest to do so. > Yes you can redistribute code and binaries under the > conditions of the GPL. > Although you need to provide (your modified) code upon > request, which means that "you have to give back your > modified code" to the community, unless your're just using it > by yourself (in contrast to BSD licences). For the record, this is NOT TRUE for PyMOL. All PyMOL "give back" is voluntary, optional, and not limited to code. Today, the primary reward for sponsoring PyMOL is the convenience of not having to compile the open-source code in order to access the new capabilities and fixes found in our precompiled binaries. > Although I am not a developer, i would encourage everybody > who is using this program as a professional (university, > research) to buy a subscription to support work on pymol in > future. There's always work that not everybody likes to do, > such as documentation and with more money, this task could be > assigned to a payed developer. I'll second that. Delsci's ability to develop, maintain, support, document, and train PyMOL is directly proportional to our influx of resources. At present, PyMOL has but a small fraction of the resources of proprietary/closed-source efforts such as Chimera, VIDA, DSVisualizer, or MarvinSpace. We remain weakest in the areas of documentation and training -- such goals have not (yet) been met. That PyMOL remains competitive and useful is, I believe, a testament to the efficiency of the open-source approach, where users are themselves involved in developing, supporting, documenting, and improving a tool via community resources, including this mailing list and the PyMOL Wiki. Much of the same can be said for the Jmol project. In summary, Open Source works for Science! But... it produces different end results than do proprietary efforts, and at a different pace. For more on Delsci software philosophy, see <http://delanoscientific.com/about.html> and <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=A bstract&list_uids=15708536> Cheers, DeLano Scientific LLC Email Support Services > -----Original Message----- > From: pymol-users-boun...@lists.sourceforge.net > [mailto:pymol-users-boun...@lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf > Of Martin Höfling > Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 5:51 AM > To: pymol-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: Re: [PyMOL] pymol licensing questions > > Am Donnerstag, 9. November 2006 13:13 schrieb bgbg bg: > > After searching the pymol site for two hours I'm still very > confused > > about the license issue. I understand that using (and from > recently - > > downloading) the binary PyMol package requires > subscription. Now what > > about the source code? May I compile it and use it without any > > subscription? May I re-distribute the compiled program? > > Yes, you can checkout the svn code and compile it on your > own. AFAIK most of the code is GPL licenced (Warren, correct > me if i am wrong). Familiarize yourseslf with the GPL if > you're unsure about redistribution of your own code/binaries. > There is some thirdparty stuff, which I am not sure about the license. > > > May I make changes to the source code and distribute the derived > > product? If I may, under which conditions? > > Yes you can redistribute code and binaries under the > conditions of the GPL. > Although you need to provide (your modified) code upon > request, which means that "you have to give back your > modified code" to the community, unless your're just using it > by yourself (in contrast to BSD licences). > Although I am not a developer, i would encourage everybody > who is using this program as a professional (university, > research) to buy a subscription to support work on pymol in > future. There's always work that not everybody likes to do, > such as documentation and with more money, this task could be > assigned to a payed developer. > Hope that did answer your questions. > > Cheers > Martin >
