Licensing Issues for GAlib
The GAlib source code is not in the public domain, but it is available at no cost for non-profit purposes. If you would like to use GAlib for commercial purposes, for-profit single user and distributor licenses are available. All of GAlib (source and documentation) is protected by the Berne Convention. You may copy and modify GAlib, but by doing so you agree to the terms of the not-for-profit license.

GAlib For-profit User/Distributor License Agreement

Please contact the MIT Technology Licensing Office at 617.253.6966 or tlo@mit.edu.

GAlib Not-for-profit User License Agreement

  1. You may copy and distribute copies of the source code for GAlib in any medium provided that you consipicuously and appropriately give credit to the author and keep intact all copyright and disclaimer notices in the library.
  2. You may modify your copy (copies) of GAlib or any portion thereof, but you may not distribute modified versions of GAlib. You may distribute patches to the original GAlib as separate files along with the original GAlib.
  3. You may not charge anything for copies of GAlib beyond a fair estimate of the cost of media and computer/network time required to make and distribute the copies.
  4. Incorporation of GAlib or any portion thereof into commercial software, distribution of GAlib for-profit, or use of GAlib for other for-profit purposes requires a special agreement with the the MIT technology licensing office (TLO).
  5. Any publications of work based upon experiments that use GAlib must include a suitable acknowledgement of GAlib. A suggested acknowledgement is: "The software for this work used the GAlib genetic algorithm package, written by Matthew Wall at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology."
  6. The author of GAlib and MIT assume absolutely no responsibility for the use or misuse of GAlib. In no event shall the author of GAlib or MIT be liable for any damages resulting from use or performance of GAlib.
The standard MIT copyright notice and disclaimer
As a work developed using MIT resources and MIT funding, the GAlib source code copyright is owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All rights are reserved. 
   Copyright (c) 1995-1996 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
 
   Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software 
   and its documentation for any non-commercial purpose and 
   without fee is hereby granted, provided that 
     - the above copyright notice appear in all copies 
     - both the copyright notice and this permission notice 
       appear in supporting documentation
     - the name of M.I.T. not be used in advertising or 
       publicity pertaining to distribution of the software 
       without specific, written prior permission.  
   M.I.T. makes no representations about the suitability of this 
   software for any purpose.  It is provided "as is" without 
   express or implied warranty.
 
   M.I.T. DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, 
   INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, 
   IN NO EVENT SHALL M.I.T. BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR 
   CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM 
   LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, 
   NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN 
   CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
The GNU portions of the GAlib distribution
The portions of GAlib (see below) that contain code from the GNU g++ library are covered under the terms of the GNU Public License. As such they are freely available and do not fall under the terms of the GAlib licensing conditions above.

The portions of GAlib that are based upon GNU code are all in the 'gnu' directory in the examples directory (in GAlib release 2.3.2 and later).

mbwall@mit.edu, 25 March 1995