Python 2.4 killing commercial Windows Python development ?

[Tim Peters]

[Michael Kearns]
> ...
> Also, I don't believe that just 'owning' MSVC 7.1 is enough. From
> cursory glances at the various redist files, I would also have to ship
> the EULA, and as an end-user (of python) I can't just redistribute the
> files - perhaps I could write a place holder application in  MSVC to
> suggest that I was no longer an end-user, but this seems ridiculous as a
> workaround.
>
> There even seem to be 'exclude' clauses to redistribution concerning
> open-source material, but IANAL and ran from the various paragraphs.
>
> I would like to think that python would encourage as many folk as
> possible to use the language wherever it fits best (and perhaps even
> beyond) and yet this is going in the opposite direction.
>
> Would it be so difficult for a 'no legalese attached' version to be
> provided on windows, or at the very least, some kind of statement
> regarding what is and isn't allowed ?

I think it would be difficult.  "We" (the Python developers) didn't
write Microsoft's license, have no special insight wrt it, and aren't
lawyers either.  If you want legally binding clarifications or
exemptions, I think they have to come from Microsoft (it's their
license).

It would be cool if commercial users got together, pursued this with
MS, and shared what they learned.  Of course it would also be cool if
someone with no commercial MS interests did so, but the chance of that
happening seems nil.

> There seems nothing within the python distribution stating the redistribution
> rights of the dll (correct me if I'm wrong) which already seems contrary to the
> MS requirements.

That's possible too.  MS hasn't complained to the PSF yet, but that's
no guarantee they won't.

> As much as I'd like to continue using it, because of the vague legal
> situation, I can't, and that's unfortunate.

Maybe the Python Business Forum could take this on?  I don't know
whether they're still active, and their site isn't working today (at
least not for me):

    http://www.python-in-business.org/

If someone(s) volunteered to do the work, it's also possible (not
certain) that the PSF would pay for lawyer time.