Encrypt python files

[Albert-Jan Roskam]

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On Wed, May 6, 2015 11:04 AM CEST Steven D'Aprano wrote:

>On Wednesday 06 May 2015 17:23, Palpandi wrote:
>
>> On Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 12:07:13 PM UTC+5:30, Palpandi wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> What are the ways to encrypt python files?
>> 
>> No, I just want to hide the scripts from others.
>
>Why, are you ashamed of your code?
>
>Python is free, open source software. Hiding the code from others is not a 
>priority for the developers of the language. Besides, you can't hide the 
>code unless you only operate the application via a web service, or similar. 
>As soon as you give people a copy of the code, whether it is binary code or 
>source code, they have a copy of it and can look at it and work out how what 
>it does.
>
>If "hiding the code" was good for security, why are there so many viruses 
>and spybots and worms and other malware for Windows?
>
>No, as far as I am concerned, trying to hide the code is a waste of time 
>with Python. But if you absolutely must, you can distribute the .pyc files 
>instead of the .py files, and that will discourage casual tinkerers from 
>poking around in the program. The .pyc file is compiled to byte-code rather 
>than source code, so it's not readable without running it through a 
>decompiler.

I used the marshal module before as a faster alternative to shelve (I marshalled a huge dictionary). I always understood marshal files require the *exact* same interpreter version (incl. built number). Do the same limitations apply for .pyc files? Isn't it the same format?

We have a VCS with an option to use private repos. I am always wary of users who want to use this feature. Why would you not want to share your code with your colleagues? Embarrassed about unreadable crappy code, perhaps?