OpenChess

Looking for some guidance. I am considering a plan to develop an analysis-centric and game management tool/GUI, and want to leverage SCID's database format for one of the features I need.

This tool is for private use (corr chess and opening analysis), but I want to understand my obligation if I ever decide to distribute (as freeware) given that SCID is GPL (i.e. am I obliged to distribute with source because I am using the format).

Your opinion appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If you distribute modified scid executable, you have to distribute the source that produces it. If your program is completely separate from SCID, and, for example, in Linux, uses fork()/exec() to run SCID and then your program "talks" to a standard, unmodified SCID. You have no legal responsibilities of any kind if you only distribute your stuff by itself...

No matter what data it uses and how it might connect to another program to do useful or interesting things.

Thank you Dr. Hyatt, this is very helpful.

hyatt wrote:If you distribute modified scid executable, you have to distribute the source that produces it. If your program is completely separate from SCID, and, for example, in Linux, uses fork()/exec() to run SCID and then your program "talks" to a standard, unmodified SCID. You have no legal responsibilities of any kind if you only distribute your stuff by itself...

No matter what data it uses and how it might connect to another program to do useful or interesting things.

Of course, if you're using SCID code to access its database, rather than communicating with a separate SCID process, it's a different matter: you would need to rewrite their db access code, unless it has a different license than the GPL. Otherwise, you'd be subject to the GPL for your entire source.

Thanks for pointing that out Jeremy, I will keep it in mind.