Re: xmgrace

[Allin Cottrell <cottrell wfu edu>]

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004, Martin Sevior wrote:

> On Tue, 6 Jul 2004, Allin Cottrell wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 5 Jul 2004, Alan G Isaac wrote:
> >
> > > On Sun, 04 Jul 2004, Andrzej Grzegorcyzk apparently wrote:
> > > > Is it not better just to make simple plugin to
> > > > gnumeric which can send data xmgrace  and the rest of problem live for
> > > > xmgrace team.
> > >
> > > I am another user sympathetic to this argument, although I
> > > would prefer to see gnuplot used.  (A number of applications
> > > already use gnuplot this way successfully, because it is
> > > built to facilitate this.  One example: the gretl
> > > econometric package, which includes gnuplot.)
> >
> > I'll put in my twopence-worth on this.  I'm a gnumeric fan, but I have
> > to agree with Andrzej's point that gnumeric's graphing capacities are
> > quite primitive.  And the response, that if we just wait a little
> > these capacities will be terrific, without any need for third-party
> > plugins, has worn thin over the several years I've heard it made.
> >
> > However, I tend to agree with Alan, that if the gnumeric developers
> > were to consider linking to a third-party graphing engine they'd be
> > better off considering gnuplot.  This is on the grounds that (a)
> > gnuplot is "standard equipment" on most GNU/Linux platforms, where
> > gnumeric is most likely to be found, while (b) xmgrace depends (as I
> > understand) on the Motif libraries, which are antiquated and not
> > standard equipment on GNU/Linux.
>
> Despite it's name, gnuplot is not GPL licsensed. It cannot be directly
> linked to gnumeric.

True, but I was using the term "link" in a broad sense, meaning 
"associate" rather than link as in GNU ld.  I'm pretty sure there are 
no licensing issues involved if GNU program X says at run-time: "If 
program Y is available on this system, let's use it to do 
such-and-such", regardless of the license of program Y.

Allin Cottrell