Free Latex Viewer Software: Is It Legal to Sell?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the legality of creating and selling a LaTeX viewer software. Users recommend YAP (Yet Another Previewer) and TeXniCenter as existing tools for viewing and editing LaTeX documents. It is established that LaTeX is licensed under the GPL, allowing for the development of derivative works, including commercial software. The proprietary IDE 'Winedit' is mentioned as a shareware alternative, indicating that creating a competing product is legally permissible.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of LaTeX and its file formats (DVI, PS)
  • Familiarity with software licensing, specifically GPL
  • Basic programming skills in Visual Basic (VB)
  • Knowledge of existing LaTeX tools like YAP and TeXniCenter
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the GNU General Public License (GPL) and its implications for software development
  • Explore the capabilities of YAP and TeXniCenter for LaTeX document management
  • Learn about developing software in Visual Basic (VB) for creating a LaTeX viewer
  • Investigate the features of proprietary LaTeX IDEs like Winedit for competitive analysis
USEFUL FOR

Software developers, particularly those interested in creating LaTeX tools, legal professionals in software licensing, and users seeking alternatives to existing LaTeX viewers and IDEs.

NeutronStar
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Does anyone know of any free latex viewer software that can be download.

I was actually thinking about writing something in VB just for my own personal use. But if it's already been done why reinvent the wheel?

Also who owns Latex? I mean, if I wrote a Latex viewer program in VB could I sell it? Or would it be under some kind of legal restriction because it specifically recognizes Latex code?

Anybody know?
 
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I usually use YAP (Yet Another Previewer) that comes with the MikTex distribution.
 
What do you mean by a LaTeX 'viewer?' From the gist of the thread I feel that you are referring to a LaTeX IDE to write LaTeX documents, this wouldn't be too hard to accomplish (hell you can write LaTeX source in Notepad). If you're referring to a viewer such as Yap that reads a rendered DVI or PS file, then that's going to be much more difficult to write. I suggest Yap as a viewer, and TeXniCenter for an IDE.

There is a propiertary LaTeX IDE called 'Winedit.' It is shareware, therefore, it would not be illegal to produce and sale one yourself. I'm rather sure LaTeX is GPL'd, meaning it has a very open license. Anyone, feel free to correct me here.
 
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