Neil Hopcroft

Autoconf licence question…I’ve been poking around with autoconf, since it seems fairly popular amongst software distribution. Amongst GPLd software at least. And it looks like it does what I want. However, I’m a little confused about the implications of using autoconf for a non-GPL project. I’m intending to start a project soon for which the ultimate distribution mechanism is currently unknown[0]. I don’t want to make a choice now that forces it to be GPLd.

The configure scripts that autoconf makes include a GPL licence reference, suggesting that they must be released under the GPL. Which doesn’t make a lot of sense without some source code to go with them….

So, my question: if I’m using a configure script for building is my work considered my own work or a derivative work? I assume the intention is that it is my own work, but its not clear to me that this is the case. Anyone got any pointers to previous discussions of this issue?

[0] I know the zealots will say that all software should be released under the GPL – and in some ways I’m inclined to agree, but right now I don’t want to commit one way or another.

“Two traveling penguins…went through regular airport screening at Denver International Airport recently. Here, Pat and Penny are removed from their carry-on case so they can walk through the metal detector.”

Spooky kids

I’m getting some .pov files from nanohive, which I can render with POVray into .bmp files. Anyone got any tips for something that’ll convert a series of .bmps into an .mpg (or some other video format)?

“I want to tell you how much Japanese business man is tired“

“The group discovered that trains consume 60% more energy per person transported than cars, and take up 200% more public space per person transported.”

This is the kind of information I’ve been looking for for a while – sure, this is in a Car-biased editorial, but it is still real information[0]. The other factor they miss is that cars have relatively little wasted journey, in the sense that to catch a train you need to go to the station, and then get from the station at the other end. All of which has to be factored in to the equation.

Trains work for some circumstances, especially large urban areas, and they could improve traffic situations if they were used sensibly. Freight is an obvious thing to transfer to rail, the roads are being chocked to death by lorries trundling along at 50mph, a good railfreight infrastructure would deliver faster and more fuel efficiently – you gain from the economies of scale.

Is there any more research available about these trade-offs?

[0] I couldn’t find the original paper online, but I did find The environmental impact of high-speed rail, which shows some of his conclusions….eg over 600km it seems more efficient to use planes than cars or trains.

“state liquor control agents gave a college student the driver’s license and Social Security number of another woman so she could pose as a stripper for a sting….Troy police paid Michelle Szuhay $100 per night over three months to strip at the club in Troy, a city of about 22,000 north of Dayton….Each night Szuhay danced, the state agents drank beer and watched from seats inside the club, ostensibly looking for violations of liquor laws at the same time”

As you know I’m spending a bit of time investigating nanotechnology, I’m intending to post some of my findings over the next few weeks, assuming I find anything I consider useful or interesting, of course.

To kick off with I made a UML picture (large .jpg file) of static relationships in NanoML. This picture will, no doubt, be revised over time as I get to understand it some more. This has been hand made, because part of the point of the exercise was for me to understand what is involved, I’m sure there are automagic tools for doing this kind of thing, but I don’t learn so much from those.

Wiley have also started publishing Small, a nanotech magazine. Theres an issue available for free download on the site. Right now I can’t justify the subscription cost, though I’ll read through the free issue and decide then.

Reply from Jim Paice

The web is a very weird place…this, I’m sure, will make more sense to those with the appropriate console.
(large .wmv video. Thanks to razornet)