On Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:15:23 +0100, you wrote:
I need more details on response from legal, I read the README.sources
too:
**********************************************************************
Here are the relevant sections of the email exchange:
----------
From: Steve Coe <stevecoe(a)cloudynights.com>
To: Akarsh Simha <akarshsimha(a)gmail.com>
Date: 18th Dec 2008
Snippet:
Akarsh;
I have no problem with you using the SAC data for the Kstars program.
It was released with the rules that it is not sold as a seperate item.
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From: Akarsh Simha <akarshsimha(a)gmail.com>
To: Steve Coe <stevecoe(a)cloudynights.com>
Date: 5th May 2009
Snippet:
To start with, I have tried merging NGC and IC data from SAC into our
database, and I've attached a copy of the stuff I intend to ship with
KStars. I wiill release this in the next version of KStars if I have
the permission to redistribute it under GPL. I would like to expand
the dataset to include most of the data in the SAC database in the
near future.
-----------
From: Steve Coe <stevecoe(a)cloudynights.com>
To: Akarsh Simha <akarshsimha(a)gmail.com>
Date: 5th May 2009
Akarsh;
Seeing as how the SAC data is available in both Sky Map Pro and Guide,
which are "for sale" planetarium programs, I can see no problem with
allowing you to include it in KStars. I hope your project goes well.
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Also, in the catalog file ngcic.dat:
# NGC/IC catalog (c) 2003-2009 by
# Jason Harris <kstars(a)30doradus.org>, Akarsh Simha
<akarsh.simha(a)kdemail.net>, Steve Coe <stevecoe(a)cloudynights.com>
#
# This catalog was constructed from:
# 1. Saguaro Astronomy Club Deep Sky Database version 8.0 [Data used
with permission] <
http://www.saguaroastro.org/content/downloads.htm>
# 2. Jason Harris' NGC/IC catalog licensed under GPL, constructed from
public domain sources (See earlier revisions of this file)
# 3. Refering to Wikipedia and SIMBAD for a few individual objects
#
# This catalog has made some use of the SIMBAD database, operated at
CDS, Strasbourg, France:
#
http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad
#
# This catalog is released under the GNU General Public License:
#
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html
So *IMHO* KStars got permission to ship the stuff under GPL.
That's not how I would read it.
To me, I would want a much more explicit statement (along the lines of
"yes, you can relicense it to GPL") rather than the rather fuzzy
allowing it to be include in KStars.
There is also the problem that it is not clear if the intent was to
allow the specific version of the catalog available back in 2009, or
to also include any future versions.
If, as the emails seem to indicate, he has given up having any
restrictions on the use of the data, then it shouldn't be a problem
getting that stated in the next release of SAG Database. But as it
currently stands the latest versions says "This data is released for
private use of anyone who wishes to use this database", and
unfortunately at least from a lawyer perspective I doubt (though it
would be nice to be wrong) those emails are clear and specific enough
to override that licence.