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Sandia Releases DAKOTA Toolkit under GPL

Posted by Hemos on from the catching-the-bug dept.

Consul writes " DAKOTA, a powerful toolkit for doing engineering analysis, has now been released under the GPL. Space Daily has the details about the tookkit."

5 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Addendum to the article post by Consul · · Score: 5, Informative
    As the submitter of this article, I'm afraid I missed a couple of important things.

    First, here's a link to the site for the software itself: DAKOTA

    And second, as seen on this page, there are two libraries (DOT and NPSOL) required by DAKOTA that are expensive commercial software products. So, in order to make DAKOTA truly free, these libraries will need to be replaced with GPL/LGPL equivilants. I just wish I had the programming skill to help with something of this scale.

    There is a third library needed, called OPT++, that is not GPL or an Artistic license. I'm unable to determine what this library is or its terms of use, as the page that the DAKOTA web site links to is no good.

    All of the other libraries needed by DAKOTA are GPL/LGPL, with one using an Artistic license.

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    "You spilled my egg... I needed that egg."

  2. Can this be exported? by cperciva · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Given the potential applicability of this to weapons design, I'm surprised the US government is allowing this to be distributed.

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    Tarsnap: Online backups for the truly paranoid
  3. Isn't GPL a step *backward*? by Weasel+Boy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In the past, software written in government labs (e.g., LINPACK) was released into the Public Domain. Isn't using GPL actually granting taxpayers less access to the fruits of their labors than releasing the code into the Public Domain?

    1. Re:Isn't GPL a step *backward*? by Arandir · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I fully agree. Taxpayer funded software should be placed into the public domain. It doens't matter if this tax money is for defense spending or corporate welfare. If the public paid for it then it belongs to the entire public, and not just a politically correct subgroup.

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      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  4. GPL is a good choice by mikosullivan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    GPL is an excellent choice for releasing taxpayer funded software. By releasing the software as GPL you ensure the maximum value for the taxpayer. The software will continue to improve and benefit everybody, including the people who paid for its original development. If it were released under some other license the taxpayer would be less likely to get back improved versions of the software. Don't get me wrong, I'm OK with the BSD license, but GPL is so much better.

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    Miko O'Sullivan