CCPN software licensing & fee structure for Version 2 of CcpNmr Analysis

Version 2 code distributed by the CCPN falls into four general groups:

  1. Code that is associated with the CCPN data exchange standard, intended for general use throughout the fields of NMR and structural biology, and distributed under the GNU LGPL licence. This includes the CcpNmr FormatConverter, the CCPN data model description, and associated data access APIs and utility code.
  2. Applications code written by CCPN, essentially the CcpNmr Analysis program and associated code. This is available to CCPN members, under the CCPN licence (see below)
  3. The Memops code generation machinery, for data modeling and generation of data access APIs. This is available under the GNU GPL licence.
  4. Code distributed on behalf of of third parties, under licences decided by the owner of the code

Code that is covered by the LGPL and GPL licences will be marked as such.

In general terms, software is available only to CCPN members, who may freely share it within their workplace, and who may modify it locally and continue to use it unsupported after their membership has lapsed. Redistribution outside the workplace is prohibited. It is basic CCPN policy that membership is free, except for people working for for-profit organisations.

For any queries about licensing, please contact us at info@ccpn.ac.uk. 

Definitions:

  • CCPN: The Collaborative Computing Project for Nuclear magnetic resonance
  • CCPN Software: Software authored by CCPN and covered by this licence.
  • Workplace: The laboratory, group, or work unit where CCPN software is used.
  • Organisation: The legal entity that includes the Workplace or that profits from the use of the CCPN software. The licence may be expanded to cover affiliate organisations, by prior written agreement with CCPN.
  • CCPN member: A person that has signed up for CCPN membership and that currently fulfils the conditions for membership.

Premium member:

A CCPN member that has signed up for premium membership. Premium members are given higher priority with respect to assistance, problem solving, and attention to feature requests. Premium members are charged a higher fee, negotiated for each individual case.

Fees:

Membership fees are not applicable to non-profit Organisations. Membership of people working for a for-profit Organisation shall be based on registration of the Organisation and the corresponding payment of an annual fee, which may be reviewed from time to time. The current scale of fees are as follows:

  • Organisations with annual turnover less than 1 million pounds Sterling
    – nil
  • Organisations with annual turnover between 1 million pounds Sterling and 2.5 million pounds Sterling
    – 1500 pounds Sterling per annum
  • Organisations with annual turnover between 2.5 million pounds Sterling and 20 million pounds Sterling
    – 3000 pounds Sterling per annum
  • Organisations with annual turnover larger than 20 million pounds Sterling
    – 9000 pounds Sterling per annum

Licence:

In using or acquiring CCPN software each person implicitly accepts the following requirements and conditions:

  1. The person acquiring or using this software is authorized by his Workplace and Organisation to commit to this agreement, which is binding on this person, this person’s Workplace, Organisation, and all other persons and institutions with whom CCPN software is shared.
  2. This agreement covers all CCPN software in any form, including source or binary code, programs or program fragments, updates, patches, bug fixes, and additions. The provisions in this licence do not, however, apply to software that is explicitly distributed under a different licence, such as the GNU LGPL license, provided that the alternative license is clearly reflected in the individual files that it covers.
  3. Only CCPN members are allowed to acquire CCPN software except as detailed under point 7).
  4. In order to become a CCPN member it is necessary to register; registration can be found at the CCPN web site. CCPN membership will cease to be valid if the records of contact details and current Workplace are not kept current by the member.
  5. CCPN may charge a fee for CCPN membership. Currently membership is free, except for individuals working for a for-profit Organisation. It is a condition of membership that all applicable fees have been paid. CCPN membership is for an individual person, but fees are charged per Organisation. A single fee paid by an Organisation will enable membership of any individual working for the Organisation for a one year period. In order to allow acquisition of CCPN software, there must be at least one CCPN member for each Workplace that acquires the new software.
  6. When a CCPN member works for more than one Organisation, any fees charged are considered separately for the different Organisations and their corresponding Workplaces within which CCPN software is acquired and used.
  7. Once acquired by a CCPN member in a given Workplace, CCPN software may be shared with others working in the same Workplace.
  8. For the purpose of assessing CCPN software, an individual may use CCPN software during training courses and when visiting Organisations, for which they do not work, without being a CCPN member.
  9. Except as stated in 7) CCPN software, whether in whole or in part, modified or unmodified, may not be redistributed in any way, except within the current Workplace of a current CCPN member.
  10. A Workplace that has legally acquired CCPN software, but that no longer contains a current member of CCPN, may continue to use the software, and may modify it for internal use, but may not acquire new software or distribute the CCPN software to others.
  11. When CCPN is able to give help and advice on the use of CCPN software any assistance will be prioritised for current CCPN members.
  12. CCPN software is provided ‘as is’ and is without warranties, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose or a warranty of non-infringement. The authors will not be held liable for any use you make of the software.
  13. Acknowledgement shall be made in all publications resulting from the use of CCPN software. The appropriate reference is currently:
    Wim F. Vranken, Wayne Boucher, Tim J. Stevens, Rasmus H. Fogh, Anne Pajon, Miguel Llinas, Eldon L. Ulrich, John L. Markley, John Ionides and Ernest D. Laue
    “The CCPN Data Model for NMR Spectroscopy: Development of a Software Pipeline” Proteins 59, 687 – 696 (2005).