Copyright and License

[Dennis E. Hamilton]

Just in case there is any confusion left here:

1.  The licensing of source code has nothing to do with the license that
applies to the Python processor(s) and its/their source code.  In
particular, the Python processor licenses place no conditions on
programs that can be processed.

2.  You do have some considerations to take into account for how you
want to license your copyright on source code to others.  One way is to
take any of the common licenses that satisfies you and make a version
that is from you rather than the original source.  You can do that with
the approach you propose.

3.  You can also use any other open-source license that is consistent
with what you want to license others to do, and any conditions you want
to make on their doing it.  I recommend that you review the Open Source
Definition (OSD) and the variety of licenses that already exist that
satisfy the OSD.  The basic information is at

	http://www.opensource.org

Generally, if you use something equivalent to the MIT or BSD license,
people will be able to safely combine your programs with your modules,
make commercial and non-commercial, open- and closed-source derivatives,
etc.  The python license is in this class, as I recall.  If you have a
concern for what combinations and derivatives are to be allowed, other
licenses are appropriate.  The GNU GPL is the strongest in this regard,
and the LGPL is the next strongest in some respects.

I personally favor the MIT/BSD/Python flavor because people won't need
lawyers to figure out how to work with your code.

-- Dennis

Dennis E. Hamilton
InfoNuovo
-------------------------
mailto:infonuovo at email.com
tel. +1 (206) 779-9430 (gsm)
fax. +1 (425) 793-0283
http://www.infonuovo.com


-----Original Message-----
From: python-list-admin at python.org
[mailto:python-list-admin at python.org]On Behalf Of Frank V. Castellucci
Sent: Thursday, 04 May 2000 13:14
To: python-list at python.org
Subject: Re: Copyright and License


Paul Hughett wrote:
>
> Frank V. Castellucci <frankc at colconsulting.com> wrote:
> : Does anyone have the text for the standard Python license for
> : distributing Python language source? NOT for Python itself, but for
> : source written to be run BY Python.
>
> If you write the code, you get to choose the license; unless someone
> has hired you to write the code, in which case they get to choose the
> license.
>
> Paul Hughett

I'm looking for something more along the lines of the Python GPL. There
is a Python accepted (Open Source) license, but it points back to the
Python specific one. I guess I can assume that changing the copyright
owner in the statement is fine for now.

And FYI: I am asking because of starting a open development project.

--
Frank V. Castellucci
--
http://www.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list