> -----Original Message-----
> From: maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu [mailto:maxima-
> bounces at math.utexas.edu] On Behalf Of Stavros Macrakis
> <snip>
>
> > If Macsyma were somehow still in business would the owner of
> > Macsyma be allowed to use and sell portions of our code in their
> software?
>
> Almost all of Maxima is covered by GPL, so it could not be folded in
> to the commercial Macsyma codebase unless it were released under a
> compatible free/open source license.
Almost all of Maxima "by weight" not necessarily "by value" is contained in
the code from the US Department of Energy, "DOE-Macsyma" from 1982. This
code is not under GPL. Code added to that base is subject to whatever
licensing was placed on it by the author.
On the other hand, there is
> presumably nothing preventing a user from individually loading in
> Maxima code to Macsyma, assuming the interfaces are the same.
A user can load a piece of "GPL code" into commercial Macsyma, and use it
himself. The GPL comes into play if that user wished to distribute that
package further.
If you are afraid that someone will use your code without your permission,
you can mark it as copyright (your name), and then either give permission or
not. You can both keep a copy (to sell to Macsyma Inc, and to give free to
Maxima project). Alternatively, you can mark a copy as GPL or LGPL.
RJF