[Python-Dev] license issues with profiler.py and md5.h/md5c.c

[Michael Chermside]

Jeremy writes:

> Unfortunately a license that says it is in the public domain is
> unacceptable (and should be for Debian, too).  That is to say, it's
> not possible for someone to claim that something they produce is in
> the public domain.  See http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6225

Not quite true. It would be a bit off-topic to discuss on this list
so I will simply point you to:

    http://creativecommons.org/license/publicdomain-2

...which is specifically designed for the US legal system. It _IS_
possible for someone to produce something in the public domain, it
just isn't as easy as some people think (just saying it doesn't
necessarily make it so (at least under US law)) and it may not be
a good idea.

I would expect that if something truly WERE in the public domain,
then it would be acceptable for Python (and for Debian too, for
that matter). I can't comment on whether this applies to libmd.

-- Michael Chermside