Pure python standard library and License

[Terry Reedy]

On 3/3/2011 11:39 AM, Markus Schaber wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We want to include IronPython in one of our products, including the pure
> Python part of the python standard library. It seems that the IronPython
> installer packagers simply copied the pure python part of the standard
> library (the directory tree of .py files which is installed by cPython
> and IronPython installers in the lib/ subdirectory) from cPython.
>
> Now, this directory comes with a LICENSE.txt which contains a
> conglomerate of several licenses, and for us (and our Lawyers), it is
> not entirely clear which part of the license applies to the pure Python
> part of the standard library, and which applies to other files (like the
> Berkeley Database license).
>
> Our current understanding is that all the .py files which do not contain
> any explicit mentioning of a license are covered by the Python licenses
> (the first three licenses of the LICENSE.txt), and that e. G. the
> Berkeley Database License only applies to the bsddb module which is
> implemented in C, and thus is currently neither included with nor usable
> from IronPython.
>
> Is there anyone who can confirm this interpretation?

Your interpretation seems reasonable, but only a paid lawyer (or 
ultimately a judge) can 'confirm' a legal interpretation. Sorry, we 
programmers generally hate the system.

That said, I suspect you or your lawyers are worrying too much. None of 
the licensors are looking to play gotcha and I do not know that there 
have been any court cases involving Python.

> Maybe the LICENSE.txt should clarify somehow which of the licenses
> applies to which part of the software.

I presume you are using some version of Python 2. In 3.2, the license 
file has the four general licenses (CWI, CNRI, BeOpen, PSF) in one 
section and 16 specific licenses related to various library modules 
(each identified) in another. There is no BSD license because bsddb in 
no longer included.

You could take the disappearance of the BD licence with the 
disappearance of the bsddb module as confirmation of your hypothesis;-).

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy