Public Domain Python

[Tim Peters]

[Tom, upon being whacked on the head over Python's decidedly non-public-
 domain nature]
> That does put a kink in my enthusiasm.  So, if Python isn't public
> domain then why does the Python community have that good, Linux-like,
> public spirit.

As others have tortured you with already, Linux is another example of
software about as far from public domain as things get.

> I refer to the way that people promote the language and help each
> other, etc. - as if we are doing something for the public good,
> rather than just for the good of CNRI or BeOpen.

Have you read the license that came with your Python?  Whether it's the old
(CWI) or new (CNRI or BeOpen) license, they impose almost no restrictions on
you.  The license that comes with ActiveState's ActivePython is much more
restrictive in some ways, but still not obnoxious to most.  BTW, CNRI is a
tax-exempt non-profit, and claims *everything* they do is "in the public
interest" -- although that seems to be defined by whatever they happen to do
<wink>.

Python's copyright holders have a long tradition of leaving Python users in
peace, regardless of what they do with the language.  Guido moved to
BeOpen.com because they promised to keep it that way, and we (Guido and his
team) are in fact in the process of signing binding legal papers to make
sure that promise is kept "no matter what".

The bottom line for Python is that people trust Guido; the bottom line for
Linux is that people trust Linus.  Unfortunately, Guido learned too late in
Python's life that legalities matter, so is in the unhappy position of
seeing his life's work effectively owned by somebody else.  He's still a
great whiner, though, so don't underestimate his effectiveness <wink>.

> By your definition, is C++ (my previous language) public domain?  Or does
> AT&T hold a copyright?

ISO and ANSI hold copyrights on the C++ standard.  Nobody holds copyright on
the *ideas* in C++ (because they can't -- they surely would if they could!).
Stroustrup and assorted publishers hold copyrights on various books about
C++.  Any particular implementation of C++ that you've used was almost
certainly copyrighted by its author (I don't know of any public domain
implemenation of C++).

Public domain used to be the very definition of "the public good", and I'm
unclear on exactly when or why it fell so far out of favor.  I still use it
whenever I can.

which-isn't-often-alas!-ly y'rs  - tim