Python on Windows soon forbidden by Micro$oft?

[rasmussn at lanl.gov]

On Tuesday, March 12, 2002, at 02:54 PM, phil hunt wrote:
>
> Lying to get money = fraud
>
> I think MicroShit's directors and laywers should be banged up for a
> few years.

Let me throw out a different interpretation on Microsoft's actions.

As I was reading Microsoft's license, I thought of it in relation to the 
GPL.
Maybe Microsoft is just covering it's backside so that users of
their products won't use it in ways that will break the GPL.

After all, the GPL forbids linking GPL code with non GPL code, i.e.
MS libraries.  At least I think so from reading the GPL FAQ
(http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html).  For example, in answer to

I am writing free software that uses non-free libraries. What legal issues 
come up if I use the GPL?

The FAQ states:

    If the libraries that you link with falls within the following 
exception in the GPL:

      However, as a special exception, the source code distributed need not
      include anything that is normally distributed (in either source or
      binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) 
of
      the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that
      component itself accompanies the executable.

    then you don't have to do anything special to use them. In other words,
  if the libraries you
    need come with major parts of a proprietary operating system, the GPL 
says people can link
    your program with them.

Since VC++ is not normally distributed with the operating system, I would 
assume
that MS VC++ libraries are not compatible with GPL code.

Now I should rush to point out that I don't know this to be the reason
for Microsoft's license, I'm just wondering.  Anyone more familiar with
the law in this area care to comment?

Craig