Subject: CCL:OELib (was linux babel)

From: Richard Gillilan <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 08:14:27 -0400

"Dr. David N. Haney" wrote:
> 
> Actually, Babel has been made into an open source library.  You can
> compile it into a "BABEL" program or you can compile it into your
> own software.  It is now called "OELIB" and is available for download
> > from OpenEye Scientific Software (http://www.eyesopen.com/download.html).
> 

OpenBabel is apparently a branch off the original OELib source.
There is a note in the documentation about OpenEye wanting 
to close their version but leave the OpenBabel source GPL'd.
Anyone know what the differences are or what OpenEye has 
in mind for their code? ... is there something problematic
about the OELib design which they want to change?

 Richard Gillilan
 MacCHESS, Cornell

---

From: Geoff Hutchison <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 07:55:47 -0500

> about the OELib design which they want to change?

I hate to speak for other people, but I can shed at least a little light 
on this. OpenEye is rewriting a new "OEChem" library, which will not be 
GPL'ed. Of course the *existing* OELib will be under the GPL--you can't 
retroactively change a license. But OELib will not be maintained.

"Matthew Stahl" <[email-masked]> wrote:
> We've pretty much stopped development beyond that, although what is 
> already GPL'ed will stay GPL'ed.
...
> The library we're building is no longer called OELib - it is now 
> OEChem.  We
> will probably not revert back to GPL b/c the GPL doesn't protect us from
> having our competitors use the code in certain circumstances.

Open Babel exists with the blessing of Matt Stahl, OpenEye and company. 
The differences between the 1.99 release and OELib are pretty small. The 
current version in development contains quite a few fixes, new features 
and new file formats including support for CML. For more information, 
including the Open Babel roadmap, see 
<http://openbabel.sourceforge.net/> or check out the openbabel-discuss 
mailing list from the webpage.

-------
-Geoff Hutchison	<[email-masked]>
Ratner/Marks Groups	(847) 491-3295
Northwestern Chemistry	http://www.chem.nwu.edu/