[Rd] AS Algorithms

[peter dalgaard]

On Jul 2, 2011, at 12:02 , Duncan Murdoch wrote:

> On 11-07-01 4:13 PM, Mohit Dayal wrote:
>> Dear R-programmers,
>> 
>> I would like to use one of the AS Algorithms that used to be published in
>> the journal Applied Statistics of the Royal Statistical Society (Series C).
>> FORTRAN code based on these are available on the Statlib website at
>> 
>> http://lib.stat.cmu.edu/modules.php?op=modload&name=PostWrap&file=index&page=apstat/
>> 
>> with the disclaimer,
>> 
>> *"The Royal Statistical Society holds the copyright to these routines, but
>> has given its permission for their distribution provided that no fee is
>> charged."*
>> *
>> *
>> *Does this make these programs compatible with an open source license like
>> GPL-2 ? More specifically, can one safely include them in an R package?*
> 
> I think that is not GPL-2 compatible.  If I'm right, they could still be included in an R package if a more permissive license is used on the whole package.  I don't know if CRAN will allow you to put one license on some parts of the code, and another on those files.

As for AS algorithms actually _in_ R, we have a statement from the RSS to the effect that it is OK to use them in R since R is free software. (I forget the exact wording.)

I would expect that to carry over to other GPL software, but it could be prudent to ask the RSS explicitly.

-pd

-- 
Peter Dalgaard
Center for Statistics, Copenhagen Business School
Solbjerg Plads 3, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Phone: (+45)38153501
Email: pd.mes at cbs.dk  Priv: PDalgd at gmail.com