[Axiom-developer] Aldor+Axiom

[C Y]

--- "Page, Bill" <address@hidden> wrote:
> >
> > Do I understand right that someone is layering aldor on top
> > of axiom?
>
> Recently Peter Broadbery was able to configure the open source
> version of Axiom to use the Aldor binary on linux. So now
> Axiom functions the way it used to in the commercial release
> but the license status of Aldor is still uncertain. I have made
> several requests to Stephen Watt to obtain a copy of the
> source code license for Aldor but I have not yet heard from
> him.

IIRC some years ago I saw a comment to the effect that the intent was
to develop Aldor commercially and thus an open source scenario wasn't
desirable, but I can no longer locate the reference and it may or may
not still be true.  I note in
http://www.aldor.org/license-rationale.html what seems to be the main
problem is the requirement that Aldor needs to be able to make
modifications available, e.g. "Parts of the existing code base in the
software package that this license is applied to require Aldor.org to
make any updates available to the initial contributors."  Is this
NAG/IBM?  If so, could this be dealt with the same way that issue was
handled with Axiom itself?

Alternately, if Steve Watt or whoever should be reached can't be
reached to discuss the issue, was NAG's release of Aldor to the
Aldor.org group exclusive?  Perhaps NAG could release the original
Aldor to Axiom also, just with a different name?
 
> > Can we distribute such in Debian yet?
> 
> I presuemt that to distribute on Debian we would require
> a GPL-compatible source license to Aldor, right?

I think it has to meet the Debian Free Software Guidlines to be
included in the "main" distribution, otherwise I think it could go in
non-free?

I must admit for myself I'm not at all motivated to look at Aldor
unless it can be a default part of the free Axiom.  Aldor might be
nicer than SPAD, but I just can't see putting time and work into a
non-open source scenario personally.

Cheers,
CY

(Note - I replied to both dev and legal lists, but for this part I
think axiom-legal is the appropriate place - no point clogging up the
developer list with license discussions when we have a special place to
talk about such issues. :-)


                
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