[ccp4bb]: Subj: Main and licensing

[<ernst@utbc08.cm.utexas.edu>]

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> " Dusan Turk's excellent model building, averaging and refinement
program
> MAIN has been compiled on OSX. More information can be obtained from
the
> official homepage: http://www-bmb.ijs.si/ (including instructions on
how
> to download free academic versions).  "
>
> when I read the academic license I see
>
> " license fee (800 EURO for Europe and 1000 USD for rest of world) "
>
> is this the product is free but you must pay a modest shipping and
handling fee
> ploy that the TV evangelists use?
>
> Steve Ernst
>
Dear Steve Ernst,

please read the MAIN-page
(http://wwwbmb.ijs.si/doc/license/license.html)
carefully, big red letters are telling you
"Individuals, academic and non-profit organizations need no license"
and bellow "The executables can be used freely by academic and
non-profit organizations and individuals....If there is a wish to
support MAIN project also financially then the license fee business
should be carried out."
So everbody should feel free to test/use this excellent program, whichis probably the number one choice for most people who used it once.
Executables are available for several platforms including Linux, IRIX
and as Jan mentioned OSX.
Hope you think about a clarifying email to the CCP4-newsgroup.

Best regards,

xxxx xxxxx


My reply.  Sorry that my comment has stirred such cries of rightious indignation and,
my final word on the subject.

>"Individuals, academic and non-profit organizations need no license"

This is a comment, not part of a signed and binding software contract.
The ....license/lic_academic.text  version of the license (admittedly only
a "suggested" contract) reiterates the quoted license fee (see above)
and states that the license is valid when upon the signiture of both
parties and the payment of the fee "if not otherwide agreed".  Let me say that
I don't know Dusan Turk and certainly am not accusing him of bait and switch
tactics; that was never my intention.  However, unless the "free to non-profit
organizations" is present in the contract to be sent and signed it seems to
me that using the software is legally an act of software piracy and the
non-profit organization could be held liable regardless of the authors
intentions.   Here at the Univ. of Texas the administration has been quite
adament in their condemnation pirated software.  I think the real issue
is not "would they sue" (I do not think they would) but IS "could they sue"

My apologies if GW sends troops to Slovenia over this matter. Are the Brits on
our side if he does?

Looking for my duct tape,

Steve Ernst