GPL and Python modules.

[Phil Thompson]

> Let's say I use a GPL'd python module (e.g. something installed
> in site-packages) in an application.
>
> Let's also say I use py2exe to package and distribute said
> application.
>
> Is what I'm distributing a "derived work" of the GPL'd python?
> Or is py2exe's packaging of the module's .pyc file and my
> application code's .pyc files a "mere aggregation" so that I
> only have to provide source code for the GPL'ed module and not
> for my application code?
>
> IOW, do I have to GPL my application code and distribute source
> code for it?

I hate trying to answer questions like this (IANAL etc), but here goes...

If your code imports a GPL module then it is a derived work in the same
way that C code linked against a GPL library is a derived work. If you
want to distribute your code then you must use a GPL compatible license.
py2exe doesn't make any difference to what you can and cannot do.

Phil