File Geodatabase API license fees

[paulkennedy]

Hi
I recently contacted ESRI Australia with regards to the license structure for the geodatabase API.  It turns out that it is not free.  Can anyone shed any light on this?  It seems to make the whole thing pointless.  if I am to pay a license fee, I may as well use the regular arcobjects.
regards pk


Dear Paul,

Esri have responded to the question you asked about pricing for Geodatabase API:

The client can develop with the API for free, but if they wish to embed the product in their application and sell it, they will need to pay fees.

Please let me know if you need anything further.

Regards

Kris


Kris McKee | Manager, Client Service Centre
Esri Australia | 111 Elizabeth Street | Brisbane, QLD 4000 | Australia

[paulkennedy]

Hi John, thanks for commenting.  I asked Kris for the specific license details and costs, but she has not gotten back to me.  All I know is I can develop my software for free! but must pay an undisclosed amount for an undisclosed license when we want to do something meaningful.  I thought the idea of this API was to give geospatial teams the basic capability of creating and consuming geodatabases form their software systems, which ultimately drive the use (and hence sales) of ESRI products.

I do like the API but it is pretty unfair letting folks invest their time learning the API only to find it is not freely available.