Re: Next Endeavour version without Hofmann potential

[Richard Karnesky]

I was just going to announce my change of email address (I had previously 
contacted some members off-list with [EMAIL PROTECTED] & had been 
subscribing though a free webmail account), but this debate is just too 
good to ignore.

Endeavour looks good, but it is commercial and costs 1000 to 2000 Euro
plus tax for a single licence for one individual unit.
I am with Armel on this one.  The algorithm is in the literature, so why 
prevent the implementation of it in software?  I'm surprised the EULA of 
the CSD is so restrictive as to prevent not only the copying of raw data, 
but also the use of results obtained (in part) from their data.  They rely 
on scientists to populate their database, but then prevent scientists from 
tasks which should fall under the heading of "Fair Use."  The fact that 
Endeavour is commercial seems to have little bearing--it sounds as if this 
restriction would also apply to free software.

Is there anything to prevent a perspicacious individual from using the open 
databases and any other crystallographic data they can scrounge to come up 
with a similar potential?  And if the CSD is willing to prevent the 
replication (and hence verification) by the "unlicensed masses," what other 
restrictions do users live with?

Rick
--
Richard Karnesky
Northwestern University
[EMAIL PROTECTED]