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20020415: GEMPAK for non-Unidata organizations

>From: "Arthur A. Person" <address@hidden>
>Organization: PSU
>Keywords: 200204152004.g3FK4Ca06607 GEMPAK register download

Art,

>Was wondering if gempak is still closed software in terms of licensing or
>whether it has entered the freeware domain (yet?)...

GEMPAK, while remaining fully copyrighted, is now freely available to
all users.  Non-Unidata sites, however, are not entitled to, nor will
they receive support for GEMPAK from the UPC.  We encourage such users
to sign-up for the gembud email list that we maintain and pose their
questions to Unidata community GEMPAK users where they may or may not
get the help that they seek.

>Where can I find
>information (non-Unidata) about gempak licensing by third parties?

I would look through NCEP web sites (do a Google search) to find
information about possibly getting GEMPAK from them.  I don't think
you will find much, however.

>Is it
>true that only Colleges and Universities can use Unidata version, or is
>there a way for other organizations to use the Unidata version?

The distribution of the Unidata version is no longer restricted.  In
order to get the Unidata version, however, we require users to first
register as a Unidata user.  This is easily done through the GEMPAK
HomePage that Chiz maintains:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak

The 'Register as a Unidata User' link will take one to:

http://my.unidata.ucar.edu/user.php?op=new_user

Registration allows us to keep track of who is downloading the packages
that we support.  This is important for not only our own use, but also
for reporting back to the GEMPAK development group in NCEP.

As I noted above, we will not support non-Unidata sites in any phase
of the package's use: download, building, configuration, use, etc.

>Does NCEP
>actively license the software or is it still available through a third
>party?

As far as I know, the former distribution mechanisms for GEMPAK (e.g.,
Cosmic) no longer exist.

Tom Yoksas