[POC] GeoUtils as Apachev2

[adebardo]

Context

We would like to transition to the Apache License 2.0 for the following reasons:

• The Apache License 2.0 is a comprehensive license, whereas MIT and BSD licenses are more like copyright notices that need to be adjusted on a case-by-case basis.

• The Apache License 2.0 is a newer license compared to the older MIT and BSD licenses, which were created in the 1980s. The Apache License 2.0, released in 2004, is better structured and more explicit about the rights granted. The MIT and BSD licenses originated at a time when software legal frameworks were less developed, with international harmonization only occurring in 1996 through the WIPO Copyright Treaty.

• The Apache License 2.0 includes an "anti-patent" clause (a feature it shares with GNU GPL, LGPL, and AGPL v3.0 licenses released in 2007). This clause protects users from contributors who might hold patents and threaten legal action in the future.

Implementation

• Audit the tool and verify license compatibility
  • Manage richdem [todo] Refine new point cloud gridding function with comments #558
• Obtain consent from all rights holders
• Obtain copyright information from all rights holders
• Update the license file
• Update file headers, e.g.:

    # Copyright (c) 2024 Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).
    #Copyright (c) 2024 xdem developpers
    #
      # This file is part of GeoUtils project:

      #  https://github.com/glaciohack/GeoUtils

    #Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
    #you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
    #You may obtain a copy of the License at

       # http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

    #Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
    #distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
    #WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
    #See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
    #limitations under the License.

• Update documentation
• Update README files
• Implement an information campaign
• Verify file compliance
• Create an AUTHORS.md file

estimation

1d