JSim Source Code Distributions

Current status

JSim source distributions are now available for non-commercial purposes. Usage of this source must conform to terms of the academic software license:

Some advantages that may be realized via this shared source are:

building JSim for an OS or hardware architecture for which JSim binary downloads are not currently available;
modifying or augmenting JSim functionality to suit local needs;
resolving JSim bugs currently unaddressed by the JSim development team;
improving understanding of how JSim works.

Redistribution of JSim source code is not permitted under the above academic license. However, it will be allowed in the forthcoming JSim Commons.

Commercial use of JSim, or incorporation of JSim into commercial software requires special arrangement with the director of NSR. See here for details.

Future Plans - the JSim Commons

A "commons" is an arrangement between a set of individuals to share privileges and responsibilities for property held in common. A software commons is often used to ensure the long term viability of software by enforcing a sharing of contributions from a set of developers. The most famous example of this is the Gnu Public License (GPL), for whom the commons extends to everyone using the software. However, it is also possible to define a software commons more narrowly, for example the commons might apply to:

a restricted (possibly fluid) set of interested research groups; or
all educational institutions.

Our plan is to define a JSim commons to ensure the long-term viability of JSim. Since the workability of such a commons will depend on the interest taken by members, the exact terms of the commons will require a substantial period of user comment and discussion before they are finalized. Such discussion will be informed by user access to the shared source (see above), and so the shared source will be implemented first.

Factors to be taken into account in this discussion will include:

There will be some defined method for commons members to share contributions. Redistributions of modified commons software will require source code availability. There may be a single authoritative JSim repository, there may be several, or any commons member may be free to redistribute. Optimial methods for sharing and redistribution are a subject for discussion.
Membership in the commons may make rolling in user contributions somewhat easier for commons members, thus arguing for a larger commons.
Membership in the commons involves responsibility to share code, which may be problematic for some, thus arguing for a smaller commons.
JSim development currently gains most of its support from publicly funded grants, thus arguing for a larger commons.
JSim development currently gains some support from private commercial licenses, which might be forfeited if the commons were to include commercial companies.
Administrative overhead of a large commons is probably larger than for a small commons.
Developers whose code is currently in JSim (including many numeric solvers) will need to agree distribution of their code under the commons or else their code must be removed or somehow replaced. This might argue for either a larger or smaller commons, depending on the developer's attitude. Several developers have insisted their code is available only for non-commercial use.
Future augmentation of JSim functionality will depend on compatibility of the commons with the licensing terms of the desired inclusions. This might argue for either a larger or smaller commons, depending on prevailing licensing terms of desirable software libraries.
It is possible to start the commons small and then enlarge it at a later time. Starting large and then shrinking is more problematic since the cat is then out of the bag.
Since shared source distributions (see above) require less responsibility for some users, it is desirable they continue, regardless of what commons membership terms are finally decided upon.
The commons will need a formal mission statement which should include promoting JSim's long term viability, but may be more general. As example is that for the Rosetta Commons . Discussions here should include the exact nature of the JSim common mission.

In the near future, a public discussion area will be set up to guide formation of the JSim commons. We will welcome your input on this matter.

Commercial Licenses

Commercial use of JSim or its source code is not allowed except by special arrangement with the director of NSR . Current commercial licensees of the JSim source code are:

Teranode corporation

Note: Some third-party software (e.g. radau, dopri5 solvers) is used in JSim with permission of the authors for non-commercial purposes only, and therefore will not be included in JSim commercial source distributions. It is up to the commercial licensee to secure separate agreements with such authors if needed for their purposes. For more information on this topic, contact the JSim development team.

[This page was last modified 03Mar08, 3:11 pm.]

Model development and archiving support at physiome.org provided by the following grants: NIH/NHLBI T15 HL88516-01 Modeling for Heart, Lung and Blood: From Cell to Organ, 4/1/07-3/31/11; NSF BES-0506477 Adaptive Multi-Scale Model Simulation, 8/15/05-7/31/08; NIH/NHLBI R01 HL073598 Core 3: 3D Imaging and Computer Modeling of the Respiratory Tract, 9/1/04-8/31/09; as well as prior support from NIH/NCRR P41 RR01243 Simulation Resource in Circulatory Mass Transport and Exchange, 12/1/1980-11/30/01 and NIH/NIBIB R01 EB001973 JSim: A Simulation Analysis Platform, 3/1/02-2/28/07.