Thanks for the insightful comments.
The README file in Geodome (
http://geodome.sourceforge.net/) source
contains the following license terms.
LICENSE
Copyright � 2004,2005 Edward A. Falk
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
obtaining a
copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
"Software"),
to deal in the Software without restriction, including without
limitation
the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute,
sublicense,
and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom
the
Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
included
in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT
SHALL
THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
OTHERWISE,
ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE
OR
OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
The Geodome project has been inactive near 10 years. I sent an e-mail to
the author one week ago about my Python work of Geodome. Geodome is a
complete package for building geodesic dome by Buckminster Fuller.
In late 1960s NASA developed computer program that constructs geodesic
dome for space applications. Joseph D. Clinton released basic dome data
for few writers during 1970s.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
STRUCTURAL DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR
FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS
Progress Report for period
May 1, 1968 to October 31, 1968
N69-29417
CODE 1
CR# 101577
Jullan H. Lauchner
R. Buckminster Fuller
Joseph D. Clinton
Mark B. Mabee
Richard M. Moeller
Richard Flood
Joseph D. Clinton advanced the technology further.
Advanced structural geometry studies. Part 1: Polyhedral subdivision
concepts for structural applications
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19710028059.pdf
Advanced structural geometry studies. Part 2: A geometric transformation
concept for expanding rigid structures
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19710028061.pdf
The funny or ironic thing was Buckminster Fuller would love to
revolutionize housing industry so that working classes become debt free.
But the government and industry marginalized Buckminster Fuller. A group
of hippies, naturalists built dome houses and then slowly faded away
after Fuller's death.
Geodesic dome is a fine example of simplicity and exploitation of
symmetry in engineering. Hundred pieces have to be manufactured and
carefully assembled as a whole, which is downside of geodesic dome I
discovered.
Edward A. Falk applied ingenious technique to generate complex geodesic
dome which I suspect he could invent it by himself. Usually engineering
software includes technical references but Geodome don't have them.
I invested few hundred hours in Python over the years and wanted to
upgrade my Python skill instead using C language. This created
unexpected license issue that needs to be cleared.
Implementation wise, the Python version is object oriented design
compared to structured one. The original one has OpenGL GUI interface.
Mine has OpenSCAD interface for 3D modeling to generate/manipulate 3D
printing parts.
I hope Edward A. Falk would contact me. If not, I will include the
source code of Geodome as tarball when I release it under new name.
Regards,
Hughe