Re: NONMEM 7 Update

Dear Douglas, Thomas and Anyone Else on the List, The NONMEM _was_ an open software. It was advantageous for scientific community, because one could (at least in theory) understand and verify the way the calculations were done. This way it was free though it was not licensed for free. Now it appears it will become a blackbox. Science does not like blackboxes. Note the similar blackboxes already exist in the field. Also, encrypting (or distruibuting binaries) of IMSL routines does not require encryption of the remaining part of the distribution. And finnally, we are not speaking about just a piece of software. We're speaking about an (nomen-omen) icon of PK/PD software. Therefore I'd like to ask the question: What about the previous versions? Will current and future users have a choice to stay using previous, open versions? Are they also the property belonging to IDS or can they be licensed by UCSF? Best regards Wojciech Jawien Jagiellonian University Krakow, Poland Ludden, Thomas wrote: > Dear All: > > Icon Development Solutions has invested in the further development > of NONMEM. By mutual agreement with the University of California > at San Francisco, NONMEM 7 is intellectual property belonging to > > IDS. However, IDS will continue to pay royalties to UCSF. The business plan under which NONMEM 7 was developed calls for the > > protection of the I.P. involved. In addition, NONMEM 7 contains > several updated routines developed and owned by IMSL (Visual > Numerics Inc.). Our agreement with IMSL stipulates that we will > not distribute their source code. The installer will compile the > software but will not allow the unencrypted source code to remain > on the users computer. The licensing agreement will also > stipulate that any attempt to access the source code will be a > violation of the agreement. > > Some source code will be left unencrypted for various reasons, one > > being the need for users to change certain values in SIZES and > perhaps other resource routines. > > Tom > > *Thomas M. Ludden Ph.D.** > *Vice-President, Pharmacometrics R&D* > *ICON Development Solutions** > > *Tel:* + 1 410 696 3040 > *Mob: + 1 410* 258 2411 > *Fax: + 1 *410 480 0776 > *Email: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>* > > ***Web:* www.icondevsolutions.com > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *From:* Eleveld, DJ [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Thursday, July 02, 2009 6:11 AM > *To:* Ludden, Thomas; [email protected] > *Subject:* RE: [NMusers] NONMEM 7 Update > > Can anyone explain what advantages encryted source code might have? > > For me at least, the NONMEM source code is already functionally encrypted because of my poor understanding of Fortran. But it is unclear to me what problem encryted source code actually solves. Can anyone enlighten me? Douglas Eleveld > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *From:* [email protected] on behalf of Ludden, Thomas > *Sent:* Wed 01/07/2009 9:21 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [NMusers] NONMEM 7 Update > > Dear All: > > This is just a brief update regarding the availability of NONMEM 7. We had hoped to begin distribution of this new version at this time. However, there are some final code changes to be made followed by thorough testing. We hope to be able to begin distribution in early August. Please be certain that the contact information that we have on file for your license(s) is up to date. This is the person to whom NONMEM 7 will be sent . Please send any updates regarding the correct contact person to [email protected] < mailto: [email protected] >. Please note that NONMEM 7 will have a licensing system. More details will be provided as we approach the release date. Our experience with distributing binary code to the beta testers was very mixed. Some testers had no problems; others had considerable difficulty with achieving a successful installation. We are now considering the distribution of NONMEM 7, for the most part, as encrypted source code. An installation program will be included. The SIZES file and several other resource files will be left unencrypted so that the user can make desired changes prior to compilation as was possible with previous versions. This change in our method of distribution will require that a revised licensing agreement be executed. Regards, Bob Bauer > > Vice-President, Pharmacometrics > > Alison Boeckmann > > Consultant > > Bill Bachman > > Director, Pharmacometrics R&D > > Tom Ludden > > Vice-President, Pharmacometrics R&D > * > *ICON Development Solutions** > > *Tel:* + 1 410 696 3040 > *Mob: + 1 410* 258 2411 > *Fax: + 1 *410 480 0776 > *Email: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>* > > ***Web:* www.icondevsolutions.com > >