Access to the TFluka code

Dear All,

    as you know the Virtual MonteCarlo package of Root allows one to run simulations with different transport engines. At the moment the package has been interfaced with GEANT3, GEANT4 and FLUKA. While the licenses that accompany the first two are standard Open Source licenses that allow the access to the code and its usage with the VMC, the FLUKA license is in many ways more restrictive. In particular, the usage of the FLUKA programme with interfaces such as the VMC is explicitly forbidden. As you know the fluka_vmc code has been developed and validated under the direction of A.Morsch with the help and guidance of the FLUKA team, which we gratefully acknowledge. As a consequence of this, the FLUKA Team has accepted the concept of considering the granting upon request of special exceptions to the FLUKA license to single users or to experiments interested in the use of fluka_vmc. Therefore to be able to use fluka_vmc one has to request this special exception from the FLUKA team directly. All this is clearly explained in the README that accompanies the TFluka package. To date the CBM_at_FAIR-GSI, PANDA_at_FAIR-GSI, ALICE_at_LHC and 4thConcept_at_ILC experiments have requested and obtained this exception.

     The open source distribution policy applied till now to all of the ALICE code, and therefore also to the fluka_vmc interface (https://alisoft.cern.ch/fluka_vmc ). However, this opened a loophole in the procedure. Any individual could have downloaded the fluka_vmc interface freely, obtained a legal FLUKA license, and then used the VMC with FLUKA without obtaining the special exception to the standard FLUKA license from the FLUKA team, either maliciously or because the README that accompanies the package went unnoticed. Yesterday the FLUKA Team has formally requested that we take immediate steps to close this loophole. Note that what is at issue here is not our right to distribute the fluka_vmc code, but rather our obligation to exert our best efforts to avoid illegal use of the FLUKA programme.

      As a consequence of this request, we have closed access to the fluka_vmc repository. Members of the aforementioned experiments can obtain access to it upon simple request (to be addressed to peter.hristov_at_cern.ch ), as they already have a valid permission to use the fluka_vmc code with FLUKA for work related to their experiment. Individuals who are not members of these experiments or other experiments should ask the FLUKA team permission to use the fluka_vmc before being granted access to the code. I must sincerely apologise to all of you for the short notice and for the inconvenience that this may cause you, but the FLUKA team asked us to take action immediately and in the interest of maintaining our excellent relations with them, we decided to act quickly.

    Thanks a lot for your understanding and best regards,

Federico Carminati
CERN-PH
1211 Geneva 23
Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 76 74959
Fax: +41 22 76 68505
Mobile: +41 76 487 4843 Received on Fri Nov 06 2009 - 15:30:27 CET