License

PYLEECAN is under an Apache license. This license is permissive (with no copyleft) which allows the use of PYLEECAN with in a close-source commercial software. One of the key features of PYLEECAN is it flexibility: the possibility to be coupled with almost any software (with proper import function or with direct coupling). With this license, a private company may include PYLEECAN in their simulation software without having to provide the code of the resulting software.

Companies may keep part of their work with PYLEECAN confidential, but they will be more prone to contribute to the open-source project to increase its reliability (implementation of special validation cases related to the company applications) and durability (compatibility of new PYLEECAN versions to company’s software). On the contrary, with a copyleft license like GPL, some company may refuse to base their work on PYLEECAN to protect their innovative software developments. The Apache license was chosen to enlarge as much as possible potential contributors.

EOMYS intends to include PYLEECAN to its commercial software MANATEE. That way, EOMYS aims at supporting the development of PYLEECAN open-source software with full-time developers based on the revenues of MANATEE commercial software.