Python license (was RE: Python plug-ins for Adobe Products available)

[Andrew Kuchling]

Grant Griffin <g2 at seebelow.org> writes:
> Sorry if I already missed it, but what in the heck is "GPL compatibility"?   We

It probably means "Can code under this new licence be linked with code
licenced under the GPL?"

> Isn't the law run mainly by lawyers?
> (BTW, does anybody know if the GPL ever been tested in court?)

CNRI's corporate counsel, for good or ill, does not believe the GPL
will ultimately stand up in court.  I think this is incorrect -- Next
backed down and obeyed the GPL's terms in their use of GCC, and both
IBM and Sun, two entities not noted for disregarding legal niceties,
consider the GPL binding enough to use for releases of some of their
own code -- but my opinion is of little weight.

> p.s.  I think one day, Richard Stallman will be remembered for helping create a
> great movement he never intended: "free software" in the Python, not GPL sense.

I don't think RMS cares about that; if everyone was using free
software under a BSDish licence, that would be fine, but he considers
the GPL more likely to encourage the creation of more free software.
(And he's very probably right.)

--amk