[Biopython-dev] Structure and LDNe

[Tiago Antão]

On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 5:41 PM, Bruce Southey <bsouthey at gmail.com> wrote:
> What are the licenses for LDNe and Structure?
> Saying just 'free' is insufficient because it is not clear in which
> definition is being used.
>
> Also, please ensure that none of the code that is included into Biopython is
> not a deriviative of LDNe and Structure unless these have explicit license
> that is compatible with Biopython.  For example, 'copying' an existing
> function into Python would be considered a derivative. Obviously reading a
> documented output is probably not considered a derivative.

Regarding LDNe we have had this discussion in the past. I have some
updates/extra info:
1. They only make available a Windows/DOS version. But they will make
a Linux version available (compiled by me, I offered to do that).
Probably a mac version also.
2. As I said before and as it is common in population genetics
(unfortunately), the software comes with no license at all, they
didn't even think that is an issue.
3. No code is remotely derived or adapted.

Regarding structure, the authors make the source available (a notch
better than LDNe) http://pritch.bsd.uchicago.edu/structure.html , but
again, they didn't bother to include license info. I am contacting
them in order to investigate this. I will report back as soon as I
have an answer.

This being said, structure support is way more important than LDNe.
The userbase of structure is quite big (just check the factoid
previous on google schoolar citations).