OpenStudio Application uses GPLv3 only licensed QtCharts

[mitchaldichter]

The OpenStudio Application 1.9.0 Help -> About window implies that all the Qt modules used by the OpenStudio Application are available under GPL or LGPL, but I don't think that's the case.





One of the modules used in the code is QtCharts, which the Qt6.5 page for states it is only available under under Commercial or GPLv3. https://doc.qt.io/qt-6.5/qtcharts-index.html





This would make the OpenStudio Application and all its code dual licensed under the OpenStudio license and the GNU GPLv3.

[macumber]

Thanks @mitchaldichter, QtCharts was added in #730 and has not been widely incorporated in the application. Licensing under GPL wouldn't really affect end users of the application, it would affect software developers using portions of the application code in their own applications.

It might be worth switching over to use https://github.com/jkriege2/JKQtPlotter which is an LGPL licensed Qt based plotting library. This would be a good idea to do before extending the use of plotting in the application.

[mitchaldichter]

Okay. I've made you aware of this. I don't think not being widely incorporated matters too much.
https://www.qt.io/licensing/open-source-lgpl-obligations

Qt
Obligations of the GPL and LGPL
Please be advised that some parts of Qt are only provided under GPL for open source users, not under LGPL. Using these GPL licensed framework libraries requires your application or device to be licensed under GPL, as well.

This software must comply with the license requirements.

[macumber]

I just meant that it would not be hard to replace the dependency since it has not been widely incorporated in the application.

[mitchaldichter]

And what I meant is you can't just cut out QtCharts and change the license. There have been two releases using QtCharts.

[jmarrec]

https://github.com/openstudiocoalition/OpenStudioApplication/blob/develop/QT_LICENSE_GPL_3_0.txt