License
Contents
Licence: terms of use of Jmol
Jmol is free software. You can download it, use it, redistribute it, etc. without paying anything.
Jmol is open-source. This means you can obtain the source code and even change it, under the terms of the license, described below.
Jmol is offered under the LGPL License (GNU Lesser General Public License).
Licenses when using JmolApplet in webpages
Jmol.js Library
This is the classical Javascript library that allows easy insertion of JmolApplets in a webpage. As part of Jmol, it is covered by the LGPL.
JmolApi.js, JmolApplet.js, JmolControls.js, JmolCore.js Libraries
These new libraries, also meant for insertion of JmolApplets into webpages, are equally covered by LGPL.
JmolCD.js
This new library (Jmol ChemDoodle extension) allows to offer rendering formats alternative to Jmol, using the independent ChemDoodle Web Components software, that does not use Java applets, but HTML5 and/or WebGL technologies to display in devices like tablets and smartphones.
Since ChemDoodle has a different license, some explanation is advisable (following text provided by Kevin Theisen, from iChemLabs, LLC, the makers of ChemDoodle):
ChemDoodle Web Components licensing is very compatible with Jmol.
The ChemDoodle Web Components are distributed under the GPL v3 license with a liberal exception: http://web.chemdoodle.com/installation/license
The GPL v3 license states that anything the software is integrated with must also be released under GPL. The liberal exception states that in the case of non-commercial use (such as academic) the GPL license will not extend past the ChemDoodle Web Components code. So for academics, the ChemDoodle Web Components can be used with Jmol without any issues. The only request I have is that users acknowledge that they use the ChemDoodle Web Components. The only case where licensing would become an issue is for commercial use of the ChemDoodle Web Components. In that case, the liberal exception does not apply, and the GPL will cover everything the ChemDoodle Web Components is integrated with, including proprietary products and Jmol. Of course, commercial institutions will never want to do this. In this case, they always come to us for proprietary licensing, which comes at a fee. And I think everyone agrees that if one profits off your hard work, you deserve some compensation. Remember, our income is fully dependent on the sales of our software. If we could not sell our software, then we would have been required to find different jobs long ago and this high quality product would not exist.
There is also another commercial case, where the ChemDoodle Web Components are used for internal products that are not distributed to the public (such as a pharmaceutical company making a private molecule browser for its own employees). In this case, the GPL is perfectly suited for such companies as there is no redistribution involved. Similar to a company using OpenBabel or MySQL internally. It will not affect the licensing of Jmol.
So to make a long story short, only commercial entities that wish to profit off the ChemDoodle Web Components will encounter licensing issues if they choose not to GPL their product, no one else will. Academics should feel confident using the ChemDoodle Web Components knowing that it is free and open, and also that there is quality support and development behind the product.
