Does Python license permit embedding in commercial product ?

[Alex Martelli]

Russell Turpin wrote:

> This is sort of the opposite case of wanting to sell a program
> written in Python, which clearly is allowed.  Consider a
> commercial product that needs a scripting language.  One

The intention of the Python license (much like the classic BSD and X 
licenses) is to permit and encourage this.  Whether its legal effect is 
indeed that, when, IANAL, but...

> (Obviously, if we do extend Python in any way, we'll release
> *that* code. But that's not currently in the plans.)

It's not something you HAVE to do by Python's license (although of course 
it's good citizenship and smart PR to do so).  If you extend and modify 
Python (or X, or BSD, ...) you're legally entitled to keep your extensions 
under wraps (again, license-intention-wise).  Very different from GPL and 
LGPL, of course -- and intentionally so.  This is not the right forum to 
debate pro or con either stance, of course.


Alex