I just stumbled across the following page which seems to indicate that the MS VC 2008 runtime files[1] required to distribute Python applications compiled with Py2exe and similar tools can be shipped without the license restriction many previously thought.
See: Updated License Term Agreement for VC Redistributable in VS 2008 SP1 http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB956414 <quote> The End User License Agreement (EULA) attached to the English version of Visual C++ (VC) Redistributable Package (VCRedistx86.exe, VCRedistx64.exe, and VCRedist_ia64.exe) in Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 does not let you redistribute the VC Redist files. It specifies that you may only install and use one copy of the software. ----> The correct EULA allows installation and use of any number of copies of the VC Redist packages. <---- CAUSE This problem occurs when Visual Studio 2008 SP1 installs incorrect VC Redist files that have the wrong EULAs to the computer. </quote> I know there's been lots of confusion about whether developers can ship these DLL files directly or whether developers must ship the Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package SP 1 files (vcredist_x86.exe or vcredist_x64.exe) - I think the above article should settle this debate once and for all. Malcolm 1. MS VC 2008 runtime files: msvcr90.dll, msvcp90.dll, msvcm90.dll -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list