20040726: Unidata McIDAS license query

>From: Tom Yoksas <address@hidden>
>Organization: Unidata Program Center/UCAR
>Keywords: 200407230117.i6N1H3aW019516 McIDAS download

Hi Tom and Steve,

I announced the release of Unidata McIDAS-X v2004 last Wednesday, and
have since gotten what will probably be the first of several requests
for access that I will you to OK.

  From: "Robert Dewey" <address@hidden>
  To: address@hidden
  Subject: RE: 20040722: Unidata McIDAS access
  Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 21:57:44 -0400
  
  Hello,
  
  Heres a bit of background:
  
  I have just graduated high school and will be starting college this fall. I 
  have been trying out different MET related software over the past few years, 
  to kind of get a head start on things (I would like to go into either MET, 
  or something related to MET with computer programming)...
  
  I am familiar with all of the Unidata packages, and have the LDM setup with 
  a few local universities for NEXRAD, CRAFT, DDPLUS, etc..
  
  As for McIDAS - It will be used for educational use only, no operational or 
  for-profit stuff.
  
  Thanks!
  Robert Dewey
  
  
  >From: Unidata Support <address@hidden>
  >To: "Robert Dewey" <address@hidden>
  >CC: address@hidden
  >Subject: 20040722: Unidata McIDAS access
  >Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 19:22:53 -0600
  >
  > >From: "Robert Dewey" <address@hidden>
  > >Organization: ?
  > >Keywords: 200407230117.i6N1H3aW019516 McIDAS access
  >
  >Hi Robert,
  >
  > >I logged on to the Unidata website to download the latest version of McIDAS
  > >- v. 2004, and I get the following error: "You must be in an educational
  > >institution to download this software." from the following file:
  > >http://my.unidata.ucar.edu/downloads/192/mcidasx2004.tar.Z
  >
  >That is correct.
  >
  > >I am currently running v. 2003, and wanted to upgrade... Is this package
  > >only available to Universities now?
  >
  >The McIDAS distribution has always been restricted to universities.
  >Unfortunately, there was a hole in our web download procedure that
  >allowed unaffiliated sites to download McIDAS v2003.  I was contacted
  >by SSEC to make sure that we tightened up our site so this would not
  >occur again.
  >
  >It may be possible to allow you access to McIDAS.  Can you describe
  >your status "for the record" (e.g., non-profit; for educational use;
  >etc.)?  I will see what I can do if you fall within a broader context
  >of who Unidata is allowed to distribute McIDAS to by SSEC.
  >
  > >Thanks!
  >
  >No worries.  Sorry for the hassle...
  >
  >Cheers,
  >
  >Tom


A quick recap:

- Robert Dewey was one of those that got access to Unidata McIDAS v2003
  even though he never declared his affiliation 'academic institution'
  (due to the hole in our web access procedures that we have discussed)

- he just graduated from high school, so he is not currently
  affiliated with any academic institution.  If he was, our license
  to distribution Unidata McIDAS should cover him.

- he states clearly that McIDAS: "will be used for educational use only,
  no operational or for-profit stuff"

- he has been using Unidata packages for about two years and has not
  generated much if any support load

So, the question is whether types of users like Robert should be allowed
access to Unidata McIDAS even though he is not part of an academic
institution at the moment.

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Cheers,

Tom