From mail@joeconway.com  Tue Feb  4 02:10:03 2003
From: mail@joeconway.com (Joe Conway)
Date: Tue Feb  4 02:10:03 2003
Subject: [Rd] new procedural language for PostgreSQL, PL/R
Message-ID: <3E3F1241.5070508@joeconway.com>

Hello,

First, I hope it is OK for me to post this here -- if not, please tell me 
where would be better (r-help maybe?).

I'm nearing completion of a new procedural language for PostgreSQL, PL/R. It 
provides an interface from Postgres to R. I was inspired by Duncan Temple 
Lang's REmbeddedPostgres (but pretty much started with PostgreSQL's pltcl as a 
basis). I'm developing against PostgreSQL 7.4devel and R 1.6.2, but before I'm 
done I intend (actually need) to make sure it works with PostgreSQL 7.3.x (the 
current release).

Before I post the source somewhere, I have a question or two:

1) R itself is under GPL; is the shared library libR also under GPL, or is it 
LGPL? The reason I ask is that PL/R will *possibly* be accepted into the 
PostgreSQL source tree, but *only* if I can release it under PostgreSQL's BSD 
style license. If libR is under GPL, then I'm required to release PL/R under 
GPL also, if I understand things correctly (but then again, IANAL).

2) If the answer to #1 is that PL/R must be released under GPL, I'll have to 
find a home for it. One possibility is gborg.postgresql.org (kind of a 
Postgres specific sourceforge). Any other suggestions? Would CRAN or OmegaHat 
be appropriate?

Thanks for any thoughts or comments.

Joe



[Rd] new procedural language for PostgreSQL, PL/R
Joe Conway