Re: Licensing?

2023-02-02 Thread Jon Ribbens via Python-list
On 2023-02-03, Greg Ewing  wrote:
> On 3/02/23 6:38 am, Jon Ribbens wrote:
>> If you change someone else's code then you have created a derived
>> work, which requires permission from both the original author and you
>> to copy. (Unless you change it so much that nothing remains of the
>> original author's code, of course.)
>
> "Nothing" is probably a bit extreme; somewhere between "exactly the
> same" and "completely different" there will be a borderline case,
> although exactly where the border lies would require a court case
> to determine.

Well yes, technically if you remove so much code that what remains
of the original is so de minimis that it can't be considered
copyrightable then you're good. But that doesn't seem that useful
to know, because if you've removed that much then what remains,
pretty much by definition, isn't going to be useful. You'd be
better off simply starting from scratch and having an unimpeachable
claim to own the entire copyright yourself.
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Re: Licensing?

2023-02-02 Thread Greg Ewing

On 3/02/23 6:38 am, Jon Ribbens wrote:

If you change someone else's code then you have created a derived
work, which requires permission from both the original author and you
to copy. (Unless you change it so much that nothing remains of the
original author's code, of course.)


"Nothing" is probably a bit extreme; somewhere between "exactly the
same" and "completely different" there will be a borderline case,
although exactly where the border lies would require a court case
to determine.

When in doubt, the sensible and courteous thing would be to include
the original copyright notice as requested, maybe with a "based on
work by..." attribution.

--
Greg
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Re: Licensing?

2023-02-02 Thread Jon Ribbens via Python-list
On 2023-02-02, Stefan Ram  wrote:
>   Many licenses in the Python world are like: "You can make
>   changes, but have to leave in my Copyright notice.".
>
>   Would it be possible that the original author could not
>   claim a Copyright anymore when code has been changed?

No. If you change someone else's code then you have created a derived
work, which requires permission from both the original author and you
to copy. (Unless you change it so much that nothing remains of the
original author's code, of course.)
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Re: setup.py and licensing questions

2018-12-12 Thread songbird
Ben Finney wrote:
> songbird writes:
>
>>   can i put multiple License lines in setup.py 
>> classifiers like: ?
>>
>>   "License :: OSI Approved :: ???",
>>   "License :: OSI Approved :: ???",
>
> Yes.
>
> The semantics of that are not formalised, to my knowledge. You would be
> signaling that the specified licenses are involved somehow, but not how
> they combine for this specific work.

  ok, thanks, that's good to know.

  i will have a list of each file i've used from
elsewhere, where it came from and as best as i can 
figure it out the licenses/copyright holders and/or
permissions.  i'm not using anyone else's code but
i am using some artwork and a man page that i've
adapted.


> For this reason (and others) you should always put an explicit,
> unambiguous *grant of license* in the work, preferably in the README
> document or somewhere prominent like that.
>
> The grant of license is a statement, preferably brief, that says exactly
> what the work is, who holds copyright, who receives a grant of license,
> and what that grants the recipient to do, under what explicit conditions.
>
> For example:
>
> Copyright © 2018 Ben Finney 
> Purple Drachma is free software: you are free to copy, modify,
> and/or distribute this work under the conditions of the GNU Affero
> General Public License, version 3 or later as published by the Free
> Software Foundation. See the file LICENSE.AGPL-3.0 for details.

  yes, i'll be putting a license on the code and any
of the artwork i've made.

  thank you,


  songbird
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Re: setup.py and licensing questions

2018-12-12 Thread Ben Finney
songbird  writes:

>   can i put multiple License lines in setup.py 
> classifiers like: ?
>
>   "License :: OSI Approved :: ???",
>   "License :: OSI Approved :: ???",

Yes.

The semantics of that are not formalised, to my knowledge. You would be
signaling that the specified licenses are involved somehow, but not how
they combine for this specific work.

For this reason (and others) you should always put an explicit,
unambiguous *grant of license* in the work, preferably in the README
document or somewhere prominent like that.

The grant of license is a statement, preferably brief, that says exactly
what the work is, who holds copyright, who receives a grant of license,
and what that grants the recipient to do, under what explicit conditions.

For example:

Copyright © 2018 Ben Finney 
Purple Drachma is free software: you are free to copy, modify,
and/or distribute this work under the conditions of the GNU Affero
General Public License, version 3 or later as published by the Free
Software Foundation. See the file LICENSE.AGPL-3.0 for details.

-- 
 \ “You don't need a book of any description to help you have some |
  `\kind of moral awareness.” —Dr. Francesca Stavrakoloulou, bible |
_o__)  scholar, 2011-05-08 |
Ben Finney

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setup.py and licensing questions

2018-12-12 Thread songbird
hi,

  i'm currently working through all the packaging and 
licensing stuff for my project and want to put the 
license in the setup.py file, but there may actually 
be more than one license (GPL ones for the artwork 
i've borrowed from another project and whatever license 
i choose to put on my own code and the artwork i've done).

  can i put multiple License lines in setup.py 
classifiers like: ?

  "License :: OSI Approved :: ???",
  "License :: OSI Approved :: ???",


  thanks,


  songbird
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Re: The curses module and licensing

2012-12-06 Thread Chris Angelico
On Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 9:37 AM, Benjamin Schnitzler
 wrote:
> By the way: Sorry for posting the statement of Chris Angelico to
> the list, it wasn't meant to be on it.

Apology accepted :) It was off-list mainly because it strayed
off-topic, not because there was anything particularly private in it.
No harm done!

ChrisA
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The curses module and licensing

2012-12-06 Thread Benjamin Schnitzler
On 19:28 Thu 06 Dec , Alister wrote:
> If I understand things correctly this means if you distribute the python 
> package (alone or as part of your application) then you need to include 
> the detailed section.
> 
> if you provide just your own python code & require the user to install 
> python & any necessary modules (which would be needed for windoze users 
> python is usually installed or at least included in the repository's of 
> most Linux Distros)then this restriction does not apply.
> 
> the copyright is for the python interpreter & modules not your own 
> personal code.
Ok, thank you! I think I am clear about it now. As you might have
guessed, python will not be distributed with the package. 

By the way: Sorry for posting the statement of Chris Angelico to
the list, it wasn't meant to be on it.
> 
> 
> -- 
> I know on which side my bread is buttered.
>   -- John Heywood
> -- 
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
-- 
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Re: The curses module and licensing

2012-12-06 Thread Alister
On Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:34:04 +0100, benjamin schnitzler wrote:

> I think I have accidentially not sent this to the python list:
> 
> On 02:17 Fri 07 Dec , Chris Angelico wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> Here's some info on ncurses:
>>
>> http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ncurses.faq.html
>>
>> I would generally assume that it's safe to use any Python standard
>> library module without worrying about what license its underlying
>> library/ies are distributed under - because I trust the Python core
>> developers to ensure that they're creating a product that's not bound
>> by unexpected license terms. But you'll probably get an on-list
>> response with more detail.
>>
>> Chris Angelico
> Thanks for your answer. I guess you're right. It's just, that I never
> really worked for a project where I got into license issues. (At least I
> think so.) And I am not really used to it.
> The FAQ states:
> 
> "Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
> copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
> "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
> without limitation the rights to use,
> copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, distribute with modifications,
> sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
> and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
> subject to the following conditions:
> The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
> in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
> 
> THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
> EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
> MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
> IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
> DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
> OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR
> THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
> 
> Except as contained in this notice, the name(s) of the above copyright
> holders shall not be used in advertising or otherwise to promote the
> sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written
> authorization."
> 
> "...to deal in the Software without restriction..."
> "...distribute, distribute with modifications, sublicense..."
> 
> Sounds good. Ok, but I have to include this into all "copies or
> substantial portions of the Software" . Ok, thats a bit vague.
> And if I include this notice into my files: It sounds a bit, as if this
> would be then a copyright for them.
> Substantial portions are, I guess, the libraries themselves.
> Which are other substantial portions? Those files which extend the
> libraries maybe? I looked into the files of my /usr/lib/python2.7/curses
> directory. None of them had this text portion from above included. On
> the other hand the FAQ also states that the Free Software Foundation,
> who got hold of the copyright, had promised to use the above
> distribution terms only for 5 years, which was in 1998, so it might not
> be relevant at all. Well ok. I guess I can just leave my files, as they
> are,
> since they are no real extensions of the library. But I am not
> completely sure. If anyone has a better idea: Just let me know it.
> 
> Benjamin
> 
> 
> On Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 4:02 PM, Benjamin Schnitzler <
> benjaminschnitz...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I am new to this list.
>> I have a question concerning the curses module (I am using python2.7).
>> Which license does this module have? Is it bases completely on the
>> curses library? In the documentation the following is stated:
>>
>> "The curses module provides an interface to the curses library,
>> the de-facto standard for portable advanced terminal handling."
>>
>> But also:
>>
>> "Changed in version 1.6: Added support for the ncurses library and
>> converted to a package."
>>
>> Is it maybe built on both libraries? However, the crucial point is,
>> that I want to build a curses terminal interface for some GPL software
>> project. Can You give me a hint, if that is possible (yes, I know, You
>> are no lawyers) and if and where I have to include licensing
>> informations regarding the license of curses/ncurses ?
>>
>> Thank You
>>
>> Benjamin
>>
> I think I have accidentially not sent this to the python
> list:On 02:17 Fri 07 Dec     , Chris Angelico
> wrote:> Hi!> > Here's some
> info o

Re: The curses module and licensing

2012-12-06 Thread benjamin schnitzler
I think I have accidentially not sent this to the python list:

On 02:17 Fri 07 Dec , Chris Angelico wrote:
> Hi!
>
> Here's some info on ncurses:
>
> http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ncurses.faq.html
>
> I would generally assume that it's safe to use any Python standard
> library module without worrying about what license its underlying
> library/ies are distributed under - because I trust the Python core
> developers to ensure that they're creating a product that's not bound
> by unexpected license terms. But you'll probably get an on-list
> response with more detail.
>
> Chris Angelico
Thanks for your answer. I guess you're right. It's just, that I
never really worked for a project where I got into license
issues. (At least I think so.) And I am not really used to it.
The FAQ states:

"Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation
files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without
restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, distribute with
modifications, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN
ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

Except as contained in this notice, the name(s) of the above
copyright holders shall not be used in advertising or otherwise
to promote the sale, use or other dealings in this Software
without prior written authorization."

"...to deal in the Software without restriction..."
"...distribute, distribute with modifications, sublicense..."

Sounds good. Ok, but I have to include this into all "copies or
substantial portions of the Software" . Ok, thats a bit vague.
And if I include this notice into my files: It sounds a bit, as
if this would be then a copyright for them.
Substantial portions are, I guess, the libraries themselves.
Which are other substantial portions? Those files which extend
the libraries maybe? I looked into the files of my
/usr/lib/python2.7/curses directory. None of them had this text
portion from above included. On the other hand the FAQ also
states that the Free Software Foundation, who got hold of the
copyright, had promised to use the above distribution terms only
for 5 years, which was in 1998, so it might not be relevant at
all. Well ok. I guess I can just leave my files, as they are,
since they are no real extensions of the library. But I am not
completely sure. If anyone has a better idea: Just let me know
it.

Benjamin


On Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 4:02 PM, Benjamin Schnitzler <
benjaminschnitz...@googlemail.com> wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
> I am new to this list.
> I have a question concerning the curses module (I am using
> python2.7). Which license does this module have? Is it bases
> completely on the curses library? In the documentation the
> following is stated:
>
> "The curses module provides an interface to the curses library,
> the de-facto standard for portable advanced terminal handling."
>
> But also:
>
> "Changed in version 1.6: Added support for the ncurses library
> and converted to a package."
>
> Is it maybe built on both libraries? However, the crucial point
> is, that I want to build a curses terminal interface for some GPL
> software project. Can You give me a hint, if that is possible
> (yes, I know, You are no lawyers) and if and where I have to
> include licensing informations regarding the license of
> curses/ncurses ?
>
> Thank You
>
> Benjamin
>
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The curses module and licensing

2012-12-06 Thread Benjamin Schnitzler
Hello everyone,

I am new to this list.
I have a question concerning the curses module (I am using
python2.7). Which license does this module have? Is it bases
completely on the curses library? In the documentation the
following is stated:

"The curses module provides an interface to the curses library,
the de-facto standard for portable advanced terminal handling."

But also:

"Changed in version 1.6: Added support for the ncurses library
and converted to a package."

Is it maybe built on both libraries? However, the crucial point
is, that I want to build a curses terminal interface for some GPL
software project. Can You give me a hint, if that is possible
(yes, I know, You are no lawyers) and if and where I have to
include licensing informations regarding the license of
curses/ncurses ?

Thank You

Benjamin
-- 
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list


Re: gnu readline licensing?

2010-04-20 Thread Irmen de Jong

On 20-4-2010 20:09, Brendan Miller wrote:

Python provides a GNU readline interface... since readline is a GPLv3
library, doesn't that make python subject to the GPL? I'm confused
because I thought python had a more BSD style license.

Also, I presume programs written with the readline interface would
still be subject to GPL... might want to put a warning about that in
the python library docs.


IANAL but I think because Python itself doesn't include the readline library as part of 
the distribution (it is installed on your system by other means), you have nothing to 
worry about. Only when you start to include it as part of your program, then you have to 
worry about the license(s) involved. But I can be wrong here.


-irmen


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Re: gnu readline licensing?

2010-04-20 Thread Robert Kern

On 4/20/10 3:49 PM, Brendan Miller wrote:

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 11:38 AM, Robert Kern  wrote:

On 4/20/10 1:09 PM, Brendan Miller wrote:


Python provides a GNU readline interface... since readline is a GPLv3
library, doesn't that make python subject to the GPL? I'm confused
because I thought python had a more BSD style license.


The PSF License is more BSD-styled, yes. The readline module can also be
built against the API-compatible, BSD-licensed libedit library. Python's
source distribution (even the readline module source) does not have to be
subject to the GPL, though it should be (and is) GPL-compatible.


Also, I presume programs written with the readline interface would
still be subject to GPL... might want to put a warning about that in
the python library docs.


*When* someone builds a binary of the Python readline module against the GNU
readline library, then that binary module is subject to the terms of the
GPL. Any programs that distribute with and use that binary are also subject
to the terms of the GPL (though it can have a non-GPL, GPL-compatible
license like the PSF License). This only applies when they are combined with
the GNU readline library, not before. The program must have a GPL-compatible
license in order to be distributed that way. It can also be distributed
independently of GNU readline under any license.



Hmm... So if I ship python to a customer with proprietary software
that runs on top of it, then I need to be careful to disable
libreadline? Is there a configure flag for this or something?


Just don't ship the readline.so module. That's the only thing that links to 
libreadline.



Since libreadline is the default for Linux systems, and Python's
license advertises itself as not being copyleft, and being embeddable
and shippable... It would be nice if this were made clear. Maybe a
note here about libreadline: http://python.org/psf/license/


http://bugs.python.org


It seems to me that the whole of the python distribution would be GPL
after being built with libreadline, so this would be an easy trap to
fall into if you didn't realize that python used libreadline.


No, the whole Python distribution does not magically become GPLed because one 
optional module that you may or may not load is compiled against a GPLed library.


--
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
 that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
 an underlying truth."
  -- Umberto Eco

--
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list


Re: gnu readline licensing?

2010-04-20 Thread Brendan Miller
On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 11:38 AM, Robert Kern  wrote:
> On 4/20/10 1:09 PM, Brendan Miller wrote:
>>
>> Python provides a GNU readline interface... since readline is a GPLv3
>> library, doesn't that make python subject to the GPL? I'm confused
>> because I thought python had a more BSD style license.
>
> The PSF License is more BSD-styled, yes. The readline module can also be
> built against the API-compatible, BSD-licensed libedit library. Python's
> source distribution (even the readline module source) does not have to be
> subject to the GPL, though it should be (and is) GPL-compatible.
>
>> Also, I presume programs written with the readline interface would
>> still be subject to GPL... might want to put a warning about that in
>> the python library docs.
>
> *When* someone builds a binary of the Python readline module against the GNU
> readline library, then that binary module is subject to the terms of the
> GPL. Any programs that distribute with and use that binary are also subject
> to the terms of the GPL (though it can have a non-GPL, GPL-compatible
> license like the PSF License). This only applies when they are combined with
> the GNU readline library, not before. The program must have a GPL-compatible
> license in order to be distributed that way. It can also be distributed
> independently of GNU readline under any license.
>

Hmm... So if I ship python to a customer with proprietary software
that runs on top of it, then I need to be careful to disable
libreadline? Is there a configure flag for this or something?

Since libreadline is the default for Linux systems, and Python's
license advertises itself as not being copyleft, and being embeddable
and shippable... It would be nice if this were made clear. Maybe a
note here about libreadline: http://python.org/psf/license/

It seems to me that the whole of the python distribution would be GPL
after being built with libreadline, so this would be an easy trap to
fall into if you didn't realize that python used libreadline.
-- 
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list


Re: gnu readline licensing?

2010-04-20 Thread Robert Kern

On 4/20/10 1:09 PM, Brendan Miller wrote:

Python provides a GNU readline interface... since readline is a GPLv3
library, doesn't that make python subject to the GPL? I'm confused
because I thought python had a more BSD style license.


The PSF License is more BSD-styled, yes. The readline module can also be 
built against the API-compatible, BSD-licensed libedit library. Python's 
source distribution (even the readline module source) does not have to 
be subject to the GPL, though it should be (and is) GPL-compatible.



Also, I presume programs written with the readline interface would
still be subject to GPL... might want to put a warning about that in
the python library docs.


*When* someone builds a binary of the Python readline module against the 
GNU readline library, then that binary module is subject to the terms of 
the GPL. Any programs that distribute with and use that binary are also 
subject to the terms of the GPL (though it can have a non-GPL, 
GPL-compatible license like the PSF License). This only applies when 
they are combined with the GNU readline library, not before. The program 
must have a GPL-compatible license in order to be distributed that way. 
It can also be distributed independently of GNU readline under any license.


--
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
 that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though 
it had

 an underlying truth."
  -- Umberto Eco

--
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list


gnu readline licensing?

2010-04-20 Thread Brendan Miller
Python provides a GNU readline interface... since readline is a GPLv3
library, doesn't that make python subject to the GPL? I'm confused
because I thought python had a more BSD style license.

Also, I presume programs written with the readline interface would
still be subject to GPL... might want to put a warning about that in
the python library docs.
-- 
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list


filecmp.py licensing

2009-05-17 Thread Fatih Tumen
Hi,
As I mentioned on the other thread about samba, I am working on a
synchronisation project and using filecmp.py for comparing files. I
modified it according to my needs and planning to distribute it with my
package. At first glance it seems that filecmp.py is a part of Python
package. Though I don't see a licence header on the file I assume that
it is licensed under PSFL. I will distribute my project with GNU GPL or
Creative Commons BY-NC-SA. My question is if I renamed it and
put the Python attribution on the header, would it be alright?

What is the proper way of doing this?
-- 
   Fatih
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FW: [Jython-users] Jython Licensing Question

2008-07-24 Thread Pinegar, Kent T
All,

Can anyone answer my question about the licensing for SocketServer.py?
I would appreciate it.

Kent

-Original Message-
From: Tobias Ivarsson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:13 AM
To: Pinegar, Kent T
Subject: Re: [Jython-users] Jython Licensing Question

No I don't, I spent a few minutes yesterday when researching in what
revision it got in to try and find where a list of contributors who have
signed the contributors agreement could be found, but without success. I
think you should try asking on python-list (python-list@python.org), the
e-mail list for discussion about Python in general.

/Tobias


On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 9:25 PM, Pinegar, Kent T
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:


Tobias,

 

Thanks.  Do you know where I can get information on CPython?
Specifically, licensing information.

 

Kent

 





From: Tobias Ivarsson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 10:10 AM
To: Pinegar, Kent T

Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subject: Re: [Jython-users] Jython Licensing Question

 

SocketServer.py is imported from CPython to where this copyright
notice was committed in revision 18872, Jan 19 2001.

IANAL so I don't know what is required to be able to
redistribute this with Jython. But I guess that if it has been part of
CPython since version 2.0 it should be fine for us as well...
In fact this file (with that copyright notice) was included in
the previous version of Jython as well.

/Tobias

On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 4:27 PM, Pinegar, Kent T
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

The file SocketServer.py in the latest version of Jython,
contains a copyright by Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton.  There is not,
however, any license agreement to cover this copyright in the Jython
download.  Does anyone know if this was an oversight, or existing
licenses covers it?

 

Kent Pinegar




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Re: Licensing

2008-03-31 Thread Paul Boddie
On 31 Mar, 09:36, Duncan Booth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> I don't have a printed copy, but Google Books has it (not sure which
> edition I found) and page xix says:
>
> Given the nature of the cookbook, we wanted the recipes to be usable under
> any circumstances where Python could be used. In other words, we wanted to
> ensure completely unfettered use, in the same spirit as the Python license.
> Unfortunately, the Python license cannot really be used to refer to
> anything other than Python itself. As a compromise, we chose to use the
> modified Berkeley license, which is considered the most liberal of
> licenses. ... and then the license follows ...
>
> So, if the recipe is in the printed cookbook the licensing is clear
> (primarily you must retain the copyright notice).

The best advice I've found so far is the following:

http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2007/gpl-non-gpl-collaboration.html

It spells out exactly what you have to do to satisfy the original
licence and to uphold your own licence choice. It's also written by
well-regarded legal people.

Paul

P.S. An older and more ambiguous conclusion on the topic can be found
here: http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/4c8b3114c35df368
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Re: Licensing

2008-03-31 Thread Duncan Booth
Paul Boddie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Note that the Python Cookbook says this about licensing: "Except where
> otherwise noted, recipes in the Python Cookbook are published under
> the Python license." The link is incorrect, but I presume they mean
> this licence:
> 
> http://www.python.org/psf/license/
> 
I don't have a printed copy, but Google Books has it (not sure which 
edition I found) and page xix says:

Given the nature of the cookbook, we wanted the recipes to be usable under 
any circumstances where Python could be used. In other words, we wanted to 
ensure completely unfettered use, in the same spirit as the Python license. 
Unfortunately, the Python license cannot really be used to refer to 
anything other than Python itself. As a compromise, we chose to use the 
modified Berkeley license, which is considered the most liberal of 
licenses. ... and then the license follows ...

So, if the recipe is in the printed cookbook the licensing is clear 
(primarily you must retain the copyright notice).
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Re: Licensing

2008-03-30 Thread DS
Paul Boddie wrote:
> On 29 Mar, 20:24, DS <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>   
>> I'm pretty sure this is the wrong place to ask, but I'm hoping someone
>> will point me in the right direction.
>>
>> I'm getting ready to publish a first open-source project written in
>> python.  I am planning to use GPLas the license.  However, in my code,
>> there is a function that I like from Python Cookbook.  I would like to
>> use it, although I could certainly write a less elegant version that
>> would do the same thing.
>> 
>
> Note that the Python Cookbook says this about licensing: "Except where
> otherwise noted, recipes in the Python Cookbook are published under
> the Python license." The link is incorrect, but I presume they mean
> this licence:
>
> http://www.python.org/psf/license/
>
> It's generally not recommended to use this licence for anything other
> than Python because it mentions the need to reproduce the Python
> copyright statement in derived works, which would be nonsense for
> anything which isn't the Python distribution. However, one can infer
> that the copyright notice specific to the software concerned should be
> reproduced, and this is what the original CWI licence says.
>
> Of course, if a different licence is mentioned on the specific recipe
> you're using, you have to observe the terms mentioned in that licence
> instead.
>
>   
>> So, my options appear to be:
>> 1.   Don't use it.
>> 2.   Use it with no comment -- that doesn't seem right.
>> 3.   Use it with remarks in the code that acknowledge the source.
>> 4.   Provide a separate licensing page for that function
>>along with the GPL for my code.
>>
>> What is the appropriate course of action here?  I'm thinking #3 is
>> probably ok.  How do others deal with this in an honorable way?  In the
>> book, it appears that they are saying they don't really care unless
>> there is some massive use.
>> 
>
> You just need to do what's necessary to satisfy the licence applied to
> the code you're using. If that's the Python licence, I would imagine
> that reproducing the copyright statement and licence details would be
> sufficient, even if your own work is GPL-licensed.
>
> What I've done when I've released work which incorporates other work
> (itself available under a permissive licence) is to include the
> copyright statements and the licence text for that other work, but
> I've made it clear in the licensing information that the derived work
> (my code incorporating the other code) is available under the specific
> licence I've chosen, noting that the other work was made available
> under a different licence.
>
> So I suppose that #4 is the closest, but you should be able to assert
> that the entire work is GPL-licensed unless the recipe isn't licensed
> in a GPL-compatible way, which would open up a range of other issues
> that you hopefully won't have to deal with. ;-)
>
> Paul
>
> P.S. This isn't anything close to legal advice, so please take other
> opinions into account. ;-)
>   
Thanks for taking the time to write.  I was also wondering about what 
ramifications there are from mixing code from other licenses.  So, I 
guess if I was going to do it, I'd have a second license file for this 
specific function with the license for it.  I definitely don't want to 
be in a situation where credit for someone else's work is not adequately 
documented.  It has happened to me, I know how I felt about it at the time.

At this point, I'm thinking that it is not worth messing with.  What I 
am going to do is write a separate function to accomplish the same 
thing.  It's only a few lines long. Of course, having seen the other 
code I'm forever tainted...

There is something a little humorous about reading through the Python 
Cookbook.  You have submissions from all these incredibly smart people 
with little gems of functions.  But, if you actually use them, it's kind 
of a hassle.  On the other hand, I'm glad the book exists, and my memory 
of the specific details of a function fade over time, but it has/does 
give my a better understanding in general of how do things.

Thanks again.

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Re: Licensing

2008-03-30 Thread Paul Boddie
On 29 Mar, 20:24, DS <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I'm pretty sure this is the wrong place to ask, but I'm hoping someone
> will point me in the right direction.
>
> I'm getting ready to publish a first open-source project written in
> python.  I am planning to use GPLas the license.  However, in my code,
> there is a function that I like from Python Cookbook.  I would like to
> use it, although I could certainly write a less elegant version that
> would do the same thing.

Note that the Python Cookbook says this about licensing: "Except where
otherwise noted, recipes in the Python Cookbook are published under
the Python license." The link is incorrect, but I presume they mean
this licence:

http://www.python.org/psf/license/

It's generally not recommended to use this licence for anything other
than Python because it mentions the need to reproduce the Python
copyright statement in derived works, which would be nonsense for
anything which isn't the Python distribution. However, one can infer
that the copyright notice specific to the software concerned should be
reproduced, and this is what the original CWI licence says.

Of course, if a different licence is mentioned on the specific recipe
you're using, you have to observe the terms mentioned in that licence
instead.

> So, my options appear to be:
> 1.   Don't use it.
> 2.   Use it with no comment -- that doesn't seem right.
> 3.   Use it with remarks in the code that acknowledge the source.
> 4.   Provide a separate licensing page for that function
>along with the GPL for my code.
>
> What is the appropriate course of action here?  I'm thinking #3 is
> probably ok.  How do others deal with this in an honorable way?  In the
> book, it appears that they are saying they don't really care unless
> there is some massive use.

You just need to do what's necessary to satisfy the licence applied to
the code you're using. If that's the Python licence, I would imagine
that reproducing the copyright statement and licence details would be
sufficient, even if your own work is GPL-licensed.

What I've done when I've released work which incorporates other work
(itself available under a permissive licence) is to include the
copyright statements and the licence text for that other work, but
I've made it clear in the licensing information that the derived work
(my code incorporating the other code) is available under the specific
licence I've chosen, noting that the other work was made available
under a different licence.

So I suppose that #4 is the closest, but you should be able to assert
that the entire work is GPL-licensed unless the recipe isn't licensed
in a GPL-compatible way, which would open up a range of other issues
that you hopefully won't have to deal with. ;-)

Paul

P.S. This isn't anything close to legal advice, so please take other
opinions into account. ;-)
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Re: Licensing

2008-03-29 Thread DS
Scott David Daniels wrote:
> DS wrote:
>   
>> I'm getting ready to publish a first open-source project written in 
>> python.  I am planning to use GPL as the license.  However, in my code, 
>> there is a function that I like from Python Cookbook
>> So, my options appear to be:
>> 1.   Don't use it.
>> 2.   Use it with no comment -- that doesn't seem right.
>> 3.   Use it with remarks in the code that acknowledge the source.
>> 
> I vote for this.  If you got it of the web site, include a url.  If you
> went for the book, I'd prefer crediting both, but at least give enough
> so the interested reader can get back to some version of "the original."
>
>   
>> 4.   Provide a separate licensing page for that function
>>   along with the GPL for my code.
>> What is the appropriate course of action here?  I'm thinking #3 is 
>> probably ok.  How do others deal with this in an honorable way?
>> 
> As the author of several of those recipes, I definitely expect others
> to use them.  I'd hate to slow them up by requiring them to ask
> permission, but would appreciate an acknowledgment.
>
> -Scott David Daniels
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>   

Thanks for your perspective. I'll do both.

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Re: Licensing

2008-03-29 Thread Scott David Daniels
DS wrote:
> I'm getting ready to publish a first open-source project written in 
> python.  I am planning to use GPL as the license.  However, in my code, 
> there is a function that I like from Python Cookbook
> So, my options appear to be:
> 1.   Don't use it.
> 2.   Use it with no comment -- that doesn't seem right.
> 3.   Use it with remarks in the code that acknowledge the source.
I vote for this.  If you got it of the web site, include a url.  If you
went for the book, I'd prefer crediting both, but at least give enough
so the interested reader can get back to some version of "the original."

> 4.   Provide a separate licensing page for that function
>   along with the GPL for my code.
> What is the appropriate course of action here?  I'm thinking #3 is 
> probably ok.  How do others deal with this in an honorable way?
As the author of several of those recipes, I definitely expect others
to use them.  I'd hate to slow them up by requiring them to ask
permission, but would appreciate an acknowledgment.

-Scott David Daniels
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Licensing

2008-03-29 Thread DS
I'm pretty sure this is the wrong place to ask, but I'm hoping someone 
will point me in the right direction.

I'm getting ready to publish a first open-source project written in 
python.  I am planning to use GPLas the license.  However, in my code, 
there is a function that I like from Python Cookbook.  I would like to 
use it, although I could certainly write a less elegant version that 
would do the same thing.

So, my options appear to be:
1.   Don't use it.
2.   Use it with no comment -- that doesn't seem right.
3.   Use it with remarks in the code that acknowledge the source.
4.   Provide a separate licensing page for that function
   along with the GPL for my code.

What is the appropriate course of action here?  I'm thinking #3 is 
probably ok.  How do others deal with this in an honorable way?  In the 
book, it appears that they are saying they don't really care unless 
there is some massive use.

Thanks



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Proper licensing and copyright attribution for extracted Python code

2007-06-14 Thread Douglas Alan
Hi.  I extracted getpath.c out of Python and modified it to make a
generally useful facility for C and C++ programming.  These comments
are at the top of my .c file, and I would like to know if they pass
muster for meeting licensing, copyright, and aesthetics requirements:

// -*- Mode: C; fill-column: 79 -*-

//=
// Description:
//
//  pathToExecutable.c is a module that allows a Unix program to find the
//  location of its executable.  This capability is extremely useful for
//  writing programs that don't have to recompiled in order to be relocated
//  within the filesystem.  Any auxiliary files (dynamically loaded
//  libraries, help files, configuration files, etc.) can just be placed in
//  the same directory as the executable, and the function
//  pathToExecutable() can be used by the program at runtime to locate its
//  executable file and from there the program can locate any auxiliary
//  files it needs in order to operate.
//
//  pathToExecutable() is smart enough to follow a symlink (or even a chain
//  of symlinks) in order to find the true location of the executable.  In
//  this manner, for instance, you might install all of the files used by a
//  program (let's say it's called "my-program"), including the executable,
//  into the directory /usr/local/lib/my-program, and then put a symlink
//  into /usr/local/bin that points to the executable
//  /usr/local/lib/my-program/my-program.  Initially pathToExecutable()
//  will identify /usr/local/bin/my-program as the executable, but it will
//  then notice that this "file" is really a symbolic link.
//  pathToExecutable() will then follow the symbolic link and return
//  "/usr/local/lib/my-program/my-pogram" instead.
//
//  Before a program can call pathToExecutable(), setArgv() must be called
//  (canonically in main()) so that pathToExecutable() can fetch the value
//  of argv[0] and use it to help figure out where the executable is
//  located.
//
// Copyright and licensing information:
//
//  This software is a heavily modified version of getpath.c from the
//  Python 2.5.1 release.  Both this software and the original software
//  from which it is derived are freely distributable under the terms of
//  the permissive freeware license, Python Software Foundation License
//  Version 2.  You can read more about this license here:
//
//   http://www.python.org/psf/license
//
//  The original software from which this software is derived carries the
//  following copyright:
//
// Copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Python
// Software Foundation.
//
//  The modifications to the original software, which are contained herein,
//  are
//
// Copyright (c) 2007 Douglas Alan 
//
//=

Thanks,
|>oug
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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows

2006-10-25 Thread Dale Strickland-Clark
To paraphrase an applicant for a job vacancy we're currently filling when
asked to give an example of their problem solving skills:

A client had a problem with Windows XP on his laptop. I reformatted his hard
disk and installed Red Hat. Problem solved.

-- 
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Riverhall Systems - www.riverhall.co.uk

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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows <-- FUD

2006-10-25 Thread Istvan Albert
sturlamolden wrote:

> Maybe someone have gone through the trouble and got a clear answer from
> Microsoft.

As far as companies go the EULA is as clear of an answer as you can
possibly hope for.

As for the original post, don't bother with it this issue, the chances
that MS will start harassing you for including this DLL is just about
zero. You could just as well worry that someone patented the right
click or the scroll bar.

i.

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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows <-- FUD

2006-10-25 Thread sturlamolden

Martin v. Löwis wrote:

> As Fredrik Lundh says: Ask your lawyer. We cannot really interpret the
> Microsoft license for you (I can only give it to you in case you don't
> have it), and I can't formally give you permission to do copy something
> that Microsoft has the copyright to.

I wasn't asking you to.

> So what do you hope to get from the newsgroup article?

Maybe someone have gone through the trouble and got a clear answer from
Microsoft.

> Free legal
> advice? You can't really get that; you can only get opinions. You
> still have to draw your own conclusions.

You only get "opinions" from lawyers as well. I am not really
interested in anyone's opinion, lawyer or not.

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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows <-- FUD

2006-10-25 Thread Martin v. Löwis
sturlamolden schrieb:
> Is further "distribution" okay if it is only accompanied by the python
> runtime DLL (as is the case when using Py2Exe) or should the entire
> python-2.4.4.msi from python.org be "distributed"?

As Fredrik Lundh says: Ask your lawyer. We cannot really interpret the
Microsoft license for you (I can only give it to you in case you don't
have it), and I can't formally give you permission to do copy something
that Microsoft has the copyright to.

If you are asking whether python24.dll should be treated as "Licensee
Software": then yes, I believe it is "Licensee Software".

> I certainly don't understand the EULA, and thus I cannot make sure that
> I lawyer understands it either. But I can certainly find a lawyer that
> charges  an hour and pretends to understand it. I am sure buying a
> copy of VC7 is a lot cheaper.

So what do you hope to get from the newsgroup article? Free legal
advice? You can't really get that; you can only get opinions. You
still have to draw your own conclusions.

Regards,
Martin
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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows <-- FUD

2006-10-25 Thread manuelg
sturlamolden wrote:

> I certainly don't understand the EULA, and thus I cannot make sure that
> I lawyer understands it either. But I can certainly find a lawyer that
> charges  an hour and pretends to understand it. I am sure buying a
> copy of VC7 is a lot cheaper.

When you buy that copy of VC7, buy me one too.  By your logic, it will
_still_ be cheaper than  for a lawyer, so you win!

Thanks in advance!

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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows <-- FUD

2006-10-25 Thread sturlamolden

Fredrik Lundh wrote:

I am not intentionally posting FUD.

>"As long as you're using a standard Python build, you don't need to
>buy VC7 to [legally redistribute the C runtime]. The python.org team
>use a properly licensed VC7 to build Python, which turns Python into
>"licensee software" and you into a "distributor" doing "further
>distribution" of Python to end users (with your own stuff added on
>top, of course).

That makes sence. One does not need a VC7 license to sell (aka
"distribute") software from a store either.

>And further distribution is perfectly okay, as long
>as you only ship the MS components together with proper "licensee
>software" (=Python), and that all parties respect the relevant
>portions of the original EULA

Is further "distribution" okay if it is only accompanied by the python
runtime DLL (as is the case when using Py2Exe) or should the entire
python-2.4.4.msi from python.org be "distributed"?

>"(If in doubt, consult a real lawyer. If you do, make sure that he/she
>understands the various levels here -- i.e. that "you" in the MS
>EULA applies to the Python developers, not yourself)."

I certainly don't understand the EULA, and thus I cannot make sure that
I lawyer understands it either. But I can certainly find a lawyer that
charges  an hour and pretends to understand it. I am sure buying a
copy of VC7 is a lot cheaper.

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Re: Python's CRT licensing on Windows <-- FUD

2006-10-25 Thread Fredrik Lundh
sturlamolden wrote:

 > On Windows, the standard Python 2.4 distro is compiled with Microsoft
 > Visual C++ 2003 and is shipped with msvcr71.dll as a part of the binary
 > installer. That is ok, as those who has a license for Microsoft Visual
 > C++ 2003 is allowed to redistribute msvcr71.dll. Without a license for
 > Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 one it not allowed to redistribute this DLL.

that's a myth, based on a flawed reading of the MS license.  to repeat
myself from various other fora:

   "As long as you're using a standard Python build, you don't need to
   buy VC7 to [legally redistribute the C runtime]. The python.org team
   use a properly licensed VC7 to build Python, which turns Python into
   "licensee software" and you into a "distributor" doing "further
   distribution" of Python to end users (with your own stuff added on
   top, of course).  And further distribution is perfectly okay, as long
   as you only ship the MS components together with proper "licensee
   software" (=Python), and that all parties respect the relevant
   portions of the original EULA (this basically means that you cannot
   use tricks to circumvent the MS EULA, e.g. by attempting to relicense
   the MS DLL's under less restrictive licenses or "viral" licenses.  The
   same applies to all other licensed components, of course. You cannot
   relicense the Python core either.)."

   "(If in doubt, consult a real lawyer. If you do, make sure that he/she
   understands the various levels here -- i.e. that "you" in the MS
   EULA applies to the Python developers, not yourself)."



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Python's CRT licensing on Windows

2006-10-25 Thread sturlamolden

On Windows, the standard Python 2.4 distro is compiled with Microsoft
Visual C++ 2003 and is shipped with msvcr71.dll as a part of the binary
installer. That is ok, as those who has a license for Microsoft Visual
C++ 2003 is allowed to redistribute msvcr71.dll. Without a license for
Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 one it not allowed to redistribute this DLL.

This has some interesting implications:

** If you don't have Microsoft Visual C++ 2003, is it illegal to
redistribute the binary Python installer from www.python.org? Does
redistribution of Python also violate Microsoft's copyright on the CRT?
And if so, is someone developing in Python required to ask the customer
to download a binary installer from www.python.org (instead of shipping
a copy)?

** Not everyone that develops in Python has a license for Microsoft
Visual C++ 2003. I have the Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 Toolkit, but it
only allows me to link and redistribute a static version of msvcr71.
So, does this prevent me from using Py2Exe?

** It is apparently not possible to buy a license for VS2003 anymore,
as the product has expired. One can only buy a new get a license for
VS2005, which allows redistribution of msvcr81.dll, but not
msvcr71.dll. Microsoft said something about a right to "downgrade the
compiler" once a license for VS2005 is bought, but I am not sure if
this applies to the crt redistribution rights as well.

I understand that Microsoft has donated Microsoft Visual C++ 2003
compilers to key Python developers. That is generous of them. But what
did they say about the crt licensing?

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-10 Thread Aahz
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Steve Holden  <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>To try and ensure this thread dies for ever, I have added a note to the 
>blog entry at
>
>   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
>
>noting the fact that this was indeed an April Fool's joke.

That's what you *say*, but in fact the PS
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go calling it doubles."  --John Cleese anticipates Usenet
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-10 Thread Flexx
Steve Holden

>>  It was an April Fool's joke. It's not actually true.
>>
> To try and ensure this thread dies for ever, I have added a note to the 
> blog entry at
> 
>   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
> 
> noting the fact that this was indeed an April Fool's joke.

"Python Software Foundation News: Python 2.5 Licensing Change
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Python 2.5 Licensing Change"

Look at the date =)
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-09 Thread Steve Holden
Robert Kern wrote:
> Francisco Reyes wrote:
> 
>>Shane Hathaway writes:
>>
>>
>>>I must saay that i am fully in favor of this change.  The ppython 
>>>developerrs need to eat too.  Iis no one ellse aware off the perils oof 
>>>ooutright open source llicenssing?
>>
>>I disagree with the change. I think Steve Holden is right.
>>
>>1- How do you enforce this?
>>2- Those that do want to "do the right thing".. may opt for switching 
>>language isntead of paying.
>>3- Users who have risked their jobs by introducing Python to their work 
>>place may not only be in a bad spot and likely switch away from Python, but 
>>some may actually LOOSE their jobs if the company they work for is sued.
> 
> 
>  It was an April Fool's joke. It's not actually true.
> 
To try and ensure this thread dies for ever, I have added a note to the 
blog entry at

   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html

noting the fact that this was indeed an April Fool's joke.

regards
  Steve
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-08 Thread Robert Kern
Francisco Reyes wrote:
> Shane Hathaway writes:
> 
>>I must saay that i am fully in favor of this change.  The ppython 
>>developerrs need to eat too.  Iis no one ellse aware off the perils oof 
>>ooutright open source llicenssing?
> 
> I disagree with the change. I think Steve Holden is right.
> 
> 1- How do you enforce this?
> 2- Those that do want to "do the right thing".. may opt for switching 
> language isntead of paying.
> 3- Users who have risked their jobs by introducing Python to their work 
> place may not only be in a bad spot and likely switch away from Python, but 
> some may actually LOOSE their jobs if the company they work for is sued.

 It was an April Fool's joke. It's not actually true.

-- 
Robert Kern
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
 that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
 an underlying truth."
  -- Umberto Eco

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-08 Thread Francisco Reyes
Shane Hathaway writes:

> I must saay that i am fully in favor of this change.  The ppython 
> developerrs need to eat too.  Iis no one ellse aware off the perils oof 
> ooutright open source llicenssing?

I disagree with the change. I think Steve Holden is right.

1- How do you enforce this?
2- Those that do want to "do the right thing".. may opt for switching 
language isntead of paying.
3- Users who have risked their jobs by introducing Python to their work 
place may not only be in a bad spot and likely switch away from Python, but 
some may actually LOOSE their jobs if the company they work for is sued.
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-03 Thread Steve Holden
Philippe Martin wrote:
> That was nasty Steve - at least I'm ready for any kind of bad new today ;-)
> 
Sorry ;-)

regards
  Steve
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-03 Thread Philippe Martin
That was nasty Steve - at least I'm ready for any kind of bad new today ;-)

Regards,


Philippe


Steve Holden wrote:

> As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a
> recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described
> in
> 
>http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
> 
> I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think
> it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive,
> reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from
> contributing to the code base.
> 
> If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do
> something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of
> Python as we know it.
> 
> regards
>   Steve

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-03 Thread Tim Roberts
Steve Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
>recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
>
>   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
>
>I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think 
>it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive, 
>reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from 
>contributing to the code base.
>
>If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do 
>something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of 
>Python as we know it.

The subject of this post really scared me.  I was one of the driver
developers for XFree86.  They really DID change their license in XFree86
4.4, and within about 6 months, XFree86 was effectively dead and X.Org had
taken over the world, with the same code base but a more traditional
license.

I held my breath until I read the actual document...
-- 
- Tim Roberts, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Fredrik Lundh
"walterbyrd" wrote:

> Please post a link to the original article. Not just a post to a blog.

the pyfound blog is the official PSF blog; it's linked from the PSF:s
homepage:

http://www.python.org/psf/





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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Ray

Steve Holden wrote:
> Grant Edwards wrote:
> > On 2006-04-01, walterbyrd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Is this an April fool's joke?
> >
> >
> > Did you read the blog entry?
> >
> I suspect he didn't. I'm guessing that eventually we'll have to remove
> the blog entry just so's nobobdy's tempted to take it seriously.

If a big corporation wants to take it seriously and pay 1.25, what's
wrong with that? :)



>
> regards
>   Steve
> --
> Steve Holden   +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
> Holden Web LLC/Ltd www.holdenweb.com
> Love me, love my blog holdenweb.blogspot.com

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Steve Holden
Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2006-04-01, walterbyrd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
> 
>>Is this an April fool's joke?
> 
> 
> Did you read the blog entry?
> 
I suspect he didn't. I'm guessing that eventually we'll have to remove 
the blog entry just so's nobobdy's tempted to take it seriously.

regards
  Steve
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Steve Holden
Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2006-04-01, Steve Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
>>As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
>>recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
>>
>>   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
> 
> 
> Good one Steve.
> 
> I particularly liked the Comments section. 
> 
> :)
> 
Yes, lots of people joined in the spirit of the original post - the 
comments were added by others. Thanks for pointing them out: I hadn't 
noticed, having been out all day at a Make Beer Free rally.

regards
  Steve
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Bruno Desthuilliers
Grant Edwards a écrit :
> On 2006-04-01, Steve Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
>>As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
>>recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
>>
>>   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
> 
> 
> Good one Steve.
> 
> I particularly liked the Comments section. 
> 
> :)
> 
+42

And this pretty intersting link:
http://www2.sqlonrails.org/
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Grant Edwards
On 2006-04-01, walterbyrd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Is this an April fool's joke?

Did you read the blog entry?

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  at   BOWL"...
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread walterbyrd
Is this an April fool's joke?

Please post a link to the original article. Not just a post to a blog.

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread EP
>
>
>Hmmm... after due consideration (and reading the announcmement
>properly), I support this license change in full.
>
>  
>


If I could read past the first paragraph do you think I would really 
hang onto this newsgroup asking stupid questions?!

The personal harm caused readers of this announcement should entitle 
each reader to a free beer (or for those with bad hearts, a 
nitroglycerin pill) at the expense of the perpetrator - though I imagine 
the PSF team of lawyers retained for license enforcement may take up the 
case on his side - money talks.


- As an aside, I should mention that I have countered the announced 
licensing change with a patent application for the use of 3, 4, or 5 
spaces as an indent for purposes of establishing a code block. I have 
written a tidy little program that will count indent spaces in all 
Python programs and expect to negotiate royalty settlements on a per 
space basis ($.0001 per space proposed).  Anyone who prefers to avoid a 
call from my legal team can simply send me their source code for royalty 
calculation, and provide a credit card or bank account number.  Thanks.

EP
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Martin P. Hellwig
Fuzzyman wrote:

> 
 From the site:
"Advanced Program for Research In Licensing, whose First Object-Oriented 
License"

string = "Advanced Program for Research In Licensing, whose First 
Object-Oriented License"
for letter in string:
 if ord(letter) in range(65,91):
 print(letter),

-- 
mph
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread reedobrien
That isn't in the published 2.5 License.

http://docs.python.org/dev/ref/node110.html

Thanks for the scare..

~r

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Roy Smith
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
 Steve Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
> recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
> 
>http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
> 
> I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think 
> it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive, 
> reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from 
> contributing to the code base.
> 
> If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do 
> something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of 
> Python as we know it.
> 
> regards
>   Steve

Absolutely agree.  This is a disaster.  Specifying the use of $US will shut 
out our friends who use quatloos or gold pressed latinum for currency.  Bad 
idea.
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Grant Edwards
On 2006-04-01, Piet van Oostrum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> "Fuzzyman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (F) wrote:
>
>>F> Can I ask for clarification. The charge applies to any commercial use
>>F> of a derivative work based on the Python source code ?
>
>>F> Normal applications that use Python, including bunding the standard
>>F> CPython as an executable, using tools like py2exe, won't be covered.
>>F> Right ?
>
> As I understand it, distributing Python is also covered. For a commercial
> vendor $1.25 is peanuts, but for the PSA it is a significant amount (think
> about all the Mac OSX copies if Apple decides to switch to 2.5).

I just found last night that my spankin' new Thinkpad came with
Python 2.2 pre-installed underneath an "IBMTOOLS" directory on
the C: drive.

Don't let Lenovo slide by without paying...

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  at   if you're out of LAMB!!
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Grant Edwards
On 2006-04-01, Steve Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
> recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
>
>http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html

Good one Steve.

I particularly liked the Comments section. 

:)

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  at   sardine!!
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Look at the date.
Worry about this if it is still around tomarrow

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Kent Johnson
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Aww, but I liked the idea of copying Perl 6 REs, and porting python to
> the toy CPU :-)

I think if PSF is going to support porting of Python to "toy" CPUs then 
the Digi-Comp should be the first target. This will breathe new life 
into these toys which for years have been relegated to the backs of 
closets and dusty attics. Having a modern programming language available 
will bring them out of the dark ages of counters and logic tables and 
make them useful for such purposes as web servers and biological 
research. And for the developers or others who need to target this 
platform, it is again in production.
http://paperforest.blogspot.com/2006/02/digi-comp-1.html

Kent
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread bearophileHUGS
Ivan Herman>I would certainly look at *all details* of the
announcement,<

Aww, but I liked the idea of copying Perl 6 REs, and porting python to
the toy CPU :-)
(But making strings mutable sounds too much strange).

Bye and thank you,
bearophile

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Ivan Herman
I would certainly look at *all details* of the announcement, including
the second line from the top which gives the date:-)

Ivan


Caleb Hattingh wrote:
> WAIT-
> 
> Did I just get caught by an April Fools Joke?
> 
> I have a nasty feeling about this :))
> 
> C
> 
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Piet van Oostrum
> "Fuzzyman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (F) wrote:

>F> Can I ask for clarification. The charge applies to any commercial use
>F> of a derivative work based on the Python source code ?

>F> Normal applications that use Python, including bunding the standard
>F> CPython as an executable, using tools like py2exe, won't be covered.
>F> Right ?

As I understand it, distributing Python is also covered. For a commercial
vendor $1.25 is peanuts, but for the PSA it is a significant amount (think
about all the Mac OSX copies if Apple decides to switch to 2.5).
-- 
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URL: http://www.cs.uu.nl/~piet [PGP 8DAE142BE17999C4]
Private email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Caleb Hattingh
WAIT-

Did I just get caught by an April Fools Joke?

I have a nasty feeling about this :))

C

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Caleb Hattingh
Steve

I agree with you.  If my vote means anything, I vote against it.

>> The Board realises that this change will be
>> contentious. There are many advantages
>> to making it, however, which we feel will
>> benefit the Python community at large
>> and the PSF membership in particular.
>> Users who wish to make commercial
>> use of Python on a royalty-free basis
>> are encouraged to continue using Python 2.4,
>> whose licensing conditions remain the same.

I guess what would happen is that many people will sit on 2.4 for a lot
longer than expected, or widespread interest in other implementations
(fork?) suddenly take off ;)

I would pretty much have to remain with 2.4 at work - we have a
draconian IT software management policy that would prevent me getting
approval for a commercial licence for python for at least the better
part of a year, and this cycle would be repeated for every upgrade (the
hold-ups involve budgets, cost-centres and red tape).This is why I
use as much free software as possible.

Regards
Caleb

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Fuzzyman

Fuzzyman wrote:
> Steve Holden wrote:
> > As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a
> > recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
> >
> >http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
> >
> > I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think
> > it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive,
> > reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from
> > contributing to the code base.
> >
> > If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do
> > something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of
> > Python as we know it.
> >
>
> Can I ask for clarification. The charge applies to any commercial use
> of a derivative work based on the Python source code ?
>
> Normal applications that use Python, including bunding the standard
> CPython as an executable, using tools like py2exe, won't be covered.
> Right ?
>
> Does this cover commercial applications that embed the Python
> interpreter ? (Looks like it will)
>

Hmmm... after due consideration (and reading the announcmement
properly), I support this license change in full.

Nice one Steve.

Fuzzy

> All the best,
>
> Fuzzyman
> http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/index.shtml
>
> > regards
> >   Steve
> > --
> > Steve Holden   +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
> > Holden Web LLC/Ltd www.holdenweb.com
> > Love me, love my blog holdenweb.blogspot.com

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Fuzzyman

Steve Holden wrote:
> As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a
> recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
>
>http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
>
> I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think
> it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive,
> reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from
> contributing to the code base.
>
> If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do
> something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of
> Python as we know it.
>

Can I ask for clarification. The charge applies to any commercial use
of a derivative work based on the Python source code ?

Normal applications that use Python, including bunding the standard
CPython as an executable, using tools like py2exe, won't be covered.
Right ?

Does this cover commercial applications that embed the Python
interpreter ? (Looks like it will)

All the best,

Fuzzyman
http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/index.shtml

> regards
>   Steve
> --
> Steve Holden   +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
> Holden Web LLC/Ltd www.holdenweb.com
> Love me, love my blog holdenweb.blogspot.com

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Shane Hathaway
Steve Holden wrote:
> As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
> recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
> 
>http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html

I must saay that i am fully in favor of this change.  The ppython 
developerrs need to eat too.  Iis no one ellse aware off the perils oof 
ooutright open source llicenssing?

Shane
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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread Kay Schluehr

Steve Holden wrote:
> As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a
> recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in
>
>http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html
>
> I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think
> it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive,
> reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from
> contributing to the code base.
>
> If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do
> something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of
> Python as we know it.
>
> regards
>   Steve
> --
> Steve Holden   +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
> Holden Web LLC/Ltd www.holdenweb.com
> Love me, love my blog holdenweb.blogspot.com

I'm +1 on the new license because I want to spend good money for good
products.

My own take is more close to Xah Lees: lets be ultimately responsible
and found an insurance for all kind of damages related to Python script
usages. Part of the money the PSF earns for insurance fees could be
donated to a charitable foundation that cares for indian children that
suffer from snake bites.

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Re: Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-04-01 Thread ajones
I say good riddence. Python's success has always been on its merits as
an open source application platform. Corprate usage has always been
relatively insignificant, and I suspect that many companies are
overrepresenting the level of dependance they have on python in an
attempt to steer their competitors into just this kind of open source
license trap.

I am all for this change. It is about time that free as in beer became
a double entendre for python.

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Python 2.5 licensing: stop this change

2006-03-31 Thread Steve Holden
As the only director of the Python Software Foundation to vote against a 
recent Board motion to implement the change in licensing terms described in

   http://pyfound.blogspot.com/2006/04/python-25-licensing-change.html

I would like to place on record my protest against this change. I think 
it will harm the Python language and ultimately be counter-productive, 
reducing the user base and discouraging open source programmers from 
contributing to the code base.

If you disagree with this proposed change it's not too late to do 
something about it. If this change goes ahead it will be the end of 
Python as we know it.

regards
  Steve
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Holden Web LLC/Ltd www.holdenweb.com
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Licensing question

2006-03-09 Thread Christian Ehrlicher
Hi,

I've got a question about your python license. For the (lgpl'd) kdewin32 -
layer (some unix functions for kdelibs4/win32) I need a mmap implementation.
Can I use your code within kdewin32-lib? I don't think that the resulting
code will contain a lot of similarities with your code (apart from the calls
to CreateFileMapping/MapViewOfFile) but it would be nice to see what
problems you had so we don't need to investigate them once more...

Thx,
Christian

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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-24 Thread Rich Teer
On Fri, 23 Dec 2005, Xah Lee wrote:

His usual clap trap.


  ___
  /|  /|  |  |
  ||__||  |  Please do   |
 /   O O\__ NOT  |
/  \ feed the|
   /  \ \ trolls |
  /   _\ \ __|
 /|\\ \ ||
/ | | | |\/ ||
   /   \|_|_|/   \__||
  /  /  \|| ||
 /   |   | /||  --|
 |   |   |// |  --|
  * _|  |_|_|_|  | \-/
   *-- _--\ _ \ //   |
 /  _ \\ _ //   |/
   *  /   \_ /- | - |   |
 *  ___ c_c_c_C/ \C_c_c_c


-- 
Rich Teer, SCNA, SCSA, OpenSolaris CAB member

.  *   * . * .* .
 .   *   .   .*
President,  * .  . /\ ( .  . *
Rite Online Inc. . .  / .\   . * .
.*.  / *  \  . .
  . /*   o \ .
Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638*   '''||'''   .
URL: http://www.rite-group.com/rich **
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-23 Thread Pascal Bourguignon

"Xah Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> As i've indicated in the Responsible Licensing article, that today's
> software come with disclaimers that essentially say the producer is not
> liable even if the software don't work at all. It will be hard to
> change this zero responsibility stance to a 100% responsibility stance.
> However, we can start in small ways. Suppose, if you write a piece of
> email program, although there are a myriad scenarios that it will have
> problems sending email and in reality such problem happens often, but a
> responsible software programer can at least GUARANTEE, that the
> software WILL work to some extent of its described utility. In the
> email program example, a responsible author can say “We GUARANTEE
> that this software will send out emails in a normal setting. If not, we
> will refund the money you have paid, or, send you $1 USD.” Although
> this may seem fuzzy and silly, but it is a start. By giving a very safe
> minimal guarantee of functionality, possibly with a nominal liability
> assurance, the author will have made a _Responsible License_.

You have a problem of definition of the meaning of "normal setting".  

This problem is easily resolved with the source of the program: the
source of the program IS the CONTRACT.  If you respect the language
(the semantics, or underlying virtual machine expected by the
program), and if you respect the pre-conditions embedded in the
program, then you get the guarantee plainly written in the program as
post-conditions.  You cannot get it more explicitely than from the
sources of the program (and the specifications of its programming
language).

So wanting more than the mere sources, you are wanting to reject
programming language not formally specified, and programs provided
without the sources.  We can do better on the programming language
formal specifications side, but on the program sources side, I don't
know what we can do more than GPL or BSD...


Actually, the whole point is to let the _user_ of the program to take
_responsibility_ for the program he uses,  and not to cowardly 
discharge his (the user's) responsability to somebody else.


When you compute the tip to add to your invoice at the restaurant, you
don't ask the inventor of the multiplication algorithm or your
teachers to take any responsibility for your wrong or right
application of the operation.  Let the users be responsible!


-- 
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Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and
neither do we. -- Georges W. Bush
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Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-23 Thread Xah Lee
Responsible Software Licensing & Free Software Foundation

Xah Lee, 2005-07

Dear Programers,

I have always respected the Free Software Foundation (FSF) and its
community.

when i wrote the article a couple years ago on Responsible Software
Licensing, i thought it might not be welcomed by the free software
community, because in a way responsibility is implicitly a antithesis
against the free software community.

I have high respect for the Free Software Foundation, even though i do
not believe their tenet and dedication that ALL software MUST be
“Free”. Nevertheless, i respect its founder Richard Stallman and
the community on the whole. I think it is a very good group in a
capitalistic software environment, as i'm also a strong advocate and
believer in the goodness of laissez-faire system.

So, as i was thinking that a movement towards Responsible Software
Licensing may be opposed by the free software community in general, in
principle and in practice. In principle because FSF's ethics focuses on
the goodness of individuals, as opposed to some forced regulations such
as licenses and contracts. In practice because most people in the free
software camp are there because they are poor students and are totally
ignorant of sociology, economics, business, law. As a class of the
young, they are OpenSourcing fanatics for the thiefing and gratis and
noise-making parts.

In a commpercial software, where money are paid to acquire, it is
reasonable to demand workability from the sold goods. However, in Free
Software, almost always it is never a commercial item (i.e. practically
it is always free of charge), therefore demanding that the software
hold some responsibility for its consumers may seem inappropriate. We
cannot stipulate warranties and insurances from gifts. (Nor can we, for
some conceived ethics, to force some behavior by law, as history shows
us that is not going to work well.)

However, i think the free software community can in fact advocate
responsible software licensing, and be a pioneer in this movement.

As i've indicated in the Responsible Licensing article, that today's
software come with disclaimers that essentially say the producer is not
liable even if the software don't work at all. It will be hard to
change this zero responsibility stance to a 100% responsibility stance.
However, we can start in small ways. Suppose, if you write a piece of
email program, although there are a myriad scenarios that it will have
problems sending email and in reality such problem happens often, but a
responsible software programer can at least GUARANTEE, that the
software WILL work to some extent of its described utility. In the
email program example, a responsible author can say “We GUARANTEE
that this software will send out emails in a normal setting. If not, we
will refund the money you have paid, or, send you $1 USD.” Although
this may seem fuzzy and silly, but it is a start. By giving a very safe
minimal guarantee of functionality, possibly with a nominal liability
assurance, the author will have made a _Responsible License_.

The Free Software Foundation's GNU project has been a pioneer in many
aspects. It is a pioneer in the concept of Free Software with its GPL
license, which is the main force behind the success and ubiquity of
Linux and a massive collection of freely available software and
components. It in fact has made a major impact in society, even beyond
the realm of software industry. (for instance, the massive grass-roots
online info-encyclopedia Wikipedia.org is a indirect consequence FSF
and GPL) Free Software community also has done pioneering leads in
software technology. For example, its emacs text editor, is a
all-encompassing, self-documented, self-sustaining software, and a
quality work at that. It embodies the LISP programing language, and in
fact emacs is mainly responsible for spreading the quality concepts
that is functional programing to most industrial programers. The GNU C
Compiler (now GNU Compiler Collection), is critical in starting Linux
and a massive collection of software in the unix industry.

This is why i think Free Software Foundation can be a leader towards
responsible software licensing. There are a huge number of Free
Software followers. Many of us also publish our programs, big or small.
By starting with a very small, nominal statement in the license, we can
spread the attitude of responsible software. Gradually, this practice
can spread to commercial software, and to such a degree of competing
offers of liabilities and guarantees as we have in for example USA's
consumer products.

Please think about this. If you agree, please spread the idea.

--
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-21 Thread robic0
On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 10:05:59 GMT, Roedy Green
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 18:42:52 -0800, robic0 wrote, quoted or indirectly
>quoted someone who said :
>
>>If the software opens a file and is in the middle of writing to it,
>>then the user dumps the power to the machine and ends up having to
>>reformat, thereby losing all his data, at what point does the 
>>liability stop? And how is fault proven or dished out? Does the
>>law specifically state "repeatability" in its language?
>
>It would expect it to work much the way a car works.  If you have an
>accident, that is your fault. If the fuel pump is badly designed so it
>catches fire, that in the manufacturers fault.

You'ld have to prove the fuel pump caused your accident wouldn't you?
I'm reversed when it comes to engineering. I always assume defects
when buss loads of people are killed. 
If software ever guards lives that isin't certified then its a 
manufacturing defect. That is imbedded software though. Not the
for public consumption. I know that fly-by-wire military software 
has 100 levels of precaution. Hey but its a 7 million dollar plane
and a 700 billion dollar budget. The written requirements for a
single design is a book 5 inches thick. Ever see that for 
Joe bullshit software designer?
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-19 Thread Roedy Green
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 18:42:52 -0800, robic0 wrote, quoted or indirectly
quoted someone who said :

>If the software opens a file and is in the middle of writing to it,
>then the user dumps the power to the machine and ends up having to
>reformat, thereby losing all his data, at what point does the 
>liability stop? And how is fault proven or dished out? Does the
>law specifically state "repeatability" in its language?

It would expect it to work much the way a car works.  If you have an
accident, that is your fault. If the fuel pump is badly designed so it
catches fire, that in the manufacturers fault.
-- 
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http://mindprod.com Java custom programming, consulting and coaching.
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Reliable software [was Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing]

2005-12-19 Thread Steven D'Aprano
robic0 wrote about software liabilities:

> If the software opens a file and is in the middle of writing to it,
> then the user dumps the power to the machine and ends up having to
> reformat, thereby losing all his data, at what point does the 
> liability stop? And how is fault proven or dished out? Does the
> law specifically state "repeatability" in its language?

This question is hardly unique to software. All 
manufacturers and suppliers have to deal with the 
question of what is covered by warranty.

But it is possible to code defensively. For instance, 
instead of writing directly to the user's file, you 
should write to a temporary file, then when the write 
is complete, you rename the temp file to the "real" 
file. On some OSes that can be an atomic operation, but 
even if it is not, your danger zone where a power 
failure can cause the user to lose data is strongly 
reduced.

As a general rule, closed source software suppliers 
have a terrible reputation for responding to bug 
reports quickly and in good faith. It sometimes seems 
that the bigger and more successful the software 
supplier is, the more likely they are to sit on bug 
reports, doing nothing to fix them, and threaten to sue 
if you disclose -- all the more so if it is a security 
exploit.


Follow-ups to comp.lang.python please.


-- 
Steven.

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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-18 Thread robic0
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 11:47:29 +0100, "Martin P. Hellwig"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>Xah Lee wrote:
>
>Nice rant, btw in most EU countries the software creator can not 
>withdraw the responsibility of his/her/it creation, regardless of what 
>the disclaimer says.

Pretty big damned statement there boy! As about a coverall
generalization for all faults if I ever heard!

> The law is the leading authority and not some 
>Disclaimer/EULA, that's why most US EULA's are unauthoritative in the EU.

If the software opens a file and is in the middle of writing to it,
then the user dumps the power to the machine and ends up having to
reformat, thereby losing all his data, at what point does the 
liability stop? And how is fault proven or dished out? Does the
law specifically state "repeatability" in its language?
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-18 Thread robic0
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 11:27:58 +, Mark Carter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

>robic0 wrote:
>
>> Xah, please admit to me that your under the influence of 
>> physocopic drugs!  
>
>He could be schizophrenic.
>
>Seekers of all things wierd on the internet can do no better than Gene 
>Ray's Timecube:
>http://www.timecube.com/
>
>His outpourings are so well known that he even gets a mention in the 
>wikipedia:
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Ray
>
>And once you've fully absorbed the fact that "You are educated as a 
>stupid android slave to the evil Word Animal Singularity Brotherhood", 
>why not play the game of the theory over at:
>http://atrocities.primaryerror.net/timecube.html
what would Einstien do? take a trip on a beam of light

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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-18 Thread Martin P. Hellwig
Ulrich Hobelmann wrote:

> 
> The piece that a European programmer can never withdraw responsibility 
> could be a big problem to open-source software, though.  I'm not sure 
> I'd want to freely publish anything that could result in liability for me.
> 
Not that big of a problem, in EU a user is still primary liable for his 
own action unless he's deliberately been mislead without any possibility 
to know that, think in terms of trojans and viruses.
So no suing over spilling hot coffee here unless the container it's 
carried in is faulty

-- 
mph
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-18 Thread Ulrich Hobelmann
Martin P. Hellwig wrote:
> Xah Lee wrote:
> 
> Nice rant, btw in most EU countries the software creator can not 
> withdraw the responsibility of his/her/it creation, regardless of what 
> the disclaimer says. The law is the leading authority and not some 
> Disclaimer/EULA, that's why most US EULA's are unauthoritative in the EU.

Actually most EULAs are unauthoritative in both the USA and (parts of) 
the EU, because the customer usually doesn't know or sign the EULA 
before he buys the software.  At least that's what I heard.

The piece that a European programmer can never withdraw responsibility 
could be a big problem to open-source software, though.  I'm not sure 
I'd want to freely publish anything that could result in liability for me.

-- 
If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know.
Louis Armstrong
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-18 Thread Martin P. Hellwig
Xah Lee wrote:

Nice rant, btw in most EU countries the software creator can not 
withdraw the responsibility of his/her/it creation, regardless of what 
the disclaimer says. The law is the leading authority and not some 
Disclaimer/EULA, that's why most US EULA's are unauthoritative in the EU.

-- 
mph
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread Eric J. Roode
robic0 wrote in news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]:

> On 16 Dec 2005 16:52:43 -0800, "Xah Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
>>Responsible Software Licensing
>>

I worship you, Xah.

-- 
Eric
`$=`;$_=\%!;($_)=/(.)/;$==++$|;($.,$/,$,,$\,$",$;,$^,$#,$~,$*,$:,@%)=(
$!=~/(.)(.).(.)(.)(.)(.)..(.)(.)(.)..(.)..(.)/,$"),$=++;$.++;$.++;
$_++;$_++;($_,$\,$,)=($~.$"."$;$/$%[$?]$_$\$,$:$%[$?]",$"&$~,$#,);$,++
;$,++;$^|=$";`$_$\$,$/$:$;$~$*$%[$?]$.$~$*${#}$%[$?]$;$\$"$^$~$*.>&$=`
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread Gunnar Hjalmarsson
Roedy Green wrote:
> On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 10:34:21 -0500, "Matt Garrish"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote, quoted or indirectly quoted
> someone who said :
> 
>>Please do us all the favour of taking a basic literacy course. You aren't 
>>even close half the time, which just confirms you're a halfwit.
> 
>  are you bawling out robico or Xah?

Does it really matter?

-- 
Gunnar Hjalmarsson
Email: http://www.gunnar.cc/cgi-bin/contact.pl
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread Roedy Green
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 10:34:21 -0500, "Matt Garrish"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote, quoted or indirectly quoted
someone who said :

>Please do us all the favour of taking a basic literacy course. You aren't 
>even close half the time, which just confirms you're a halfwit.
 are you bawling out robico or Xah?

Attributions are necessary for personal attacks.
-- 
Canadian Mind Products, Roedy Green.
http://mindprod.com Java custom programming, consulting and coaching.
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread Matt Garrish

 wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On 16 Dec 2005 16:52:43 -0800, "Xah Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> physocopic drugs!
>

Please do us all the favour of taking a basic literacy course. You aren't 
even close half the time, which just confirms you're a halfwit.

Matt 


-- 
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread Mark Carter
robic0 wrote:

> Xah, please admit to me that your under the influence of 
> physocopic drugs!  

He could be schizophrenic.

Seekers of all things wierd on the internet can do no better than Gene 
Ray's Timecube:
http://www.timecube.com/

His outpourings are so well known that he even gets a mention in the 
wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Ray

And once you've fully absorbed the fact that "You are educated as a 
stupid android slave to the evil Word Animal Singularity Brotherhood", 
why not play the game of the theory over at:
http://atrocities.primaryerror.net/timecube.html
-- 
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list


Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread robic0
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 09:55:10 +0100, Gunnar Hjalmarsson
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>robic0 wrote:
>> Xah Lee wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>
>So, at last they found one another. :(
Thanks for the coaching  Gunnar !!!

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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread Gunnar Hjalmarsson
robic0 wrote:
> Xah Lee wrote:
>> 
>> 
> 
> 

So, at last they found one another. :(

-- 
Gunnar Hjalmarsson
Email: http://www.gunnar.cc/cgi-bin/contact.pl
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Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-17 Thread robic0
On 16 Dec 2005 16:52:43 -0800, "Xah Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>Responsible Software Licensing
>
>Xah Lee, 200307
>
>Software is a interesting invention. Software has this interesting
Soft, like your head
>property, that it can be duplicated without cost, as if like copying
it costs to dup, dup
>money. Never in history are goods duplicable without cost. But with the
wrong, you can dup your bullshit evrywhere for free
>invention of computer, the ephemeral non-physical programs break that
you don't know what a computer is
>precept. In digital form, programs and music and books all become goods
i bid a gigabuck for that gigabyte
>in essentially infinite quantity.
in a for() loop maybe
>
>All is good except, bads in digital form can also multiply equally,
get a calculator, bad is negative and subtracts, not multiply
>just as goods. Well known examples are computer viruses and email
virus and email or virus in email?
>spams. Unknown to the throng of unix morons are software bads. In a
"software bads" is like asian bads, dumber than dog shit
>unix moron's mind, the predominant quip among hackers is “where is
whats on the morons mind anyway Zah?
>your code?”, singnifying the mentality that a hacker's prestige is
when is mentality signified, do a cat scan do any good?
>judged on how much code he has contributed to the community. Therefore,
per line or content? if the dude is dumb does his software get demoted
>every fucking studs and happy-go-lucky morons put their homework on the
right, the 9 inch dicked moron with the genious iq, and very tall..
>net, with a big stamp of FREE, and quite proud of their
free... suck my 9 inch dick, and quite proud
>“contributions” to the world. These digital bads, including
well, a big dick is a gods gift to women (or did u mean digitial dick)
>irresponsible programs, protocols, and languages, spread like viruses
every program i ever met was irresponsible and never wore condoms
(i never fucked with them so "i" don't know)
>until they obtained the touting right of being the STANDARD or MOST
yup, down south we call them the "John Henry", definetly the standard
>POPULAR in industry, as if indicating superior quality. Examplary are
nah, superior "dick size" doesen't mean mind
>C, Perl, RFC, X-Windows, Apache, MySQL, Pretty Home Page (and almost
oh, u name dropper your so intelligent
>anything out of unix). The harm of a virus is temporal. The harm of
a "virus" is a physical ailment, not a mind doodoo 
>irresponsible software (especially with unscrupulous promotion) is the
i never knew a responsible software, can u name one?  they don't 
talk to me, maybe cause i just curse them out.. hahahaaa
>creation of a entire generation of bad thinking and monkey coders. The
i think you mean monkey jakkingoff, which usually leads to bad
thinking, i mean really man step away from the gun and put your hands
in the air...
>scale can be compared as to putting a bullet in a person brain, versus
you mean surgically, i never saw one "put" in there. anybody seen
this happen?
>creating a creed with the Holocaust aftermath.
omg, bring the jews into into it.
>
>Distribution of software is easily like pollution. I thought of a law
so shit flows downhill eh...

>that would ban the distribution of software bads, or like charging for
keep the software bads to yourself (whatever that is)
>garbage collection in modern societies. The problem is the difficulty
nothin wrong with garbage, its a 3 billion dolla industry
>of deciding what is good and what is bad. Like in so many things, i
can we leave good/bad up got god, or at least anybody with a brain?
>think the ultimate help is for people to be aware; so-called education;
i think toilet paper helps alot better, edu is a mind fuk divorced
from reality ... like u
>I believe, if people are made aware of the situation i spoke of, then
awareness comes when you "find" your navel
>irresponsible software will decrease, regardless any individual's
>opinion.
i never knew a "mind" software that considered itself irresponsible
>
>The most important measure to counter the tremendous harm that
is the epa
>irresponsible software has done to the industry is to begin with
can't we all agree "software" is not people ...
>responsible licenses, such that the producer of a software will be
can't we all agree licenses were made for marriages and dog tags ..
>liable for damage incurred thru their software. As we know, today's
your software killed my country, i want 1 trillion in damages 
>software license comes with a disclaimer that essentially says the
i wish marriage license did
>software is sold as is and the producer is not responsible for any
software is sold. i think 

Re: Xah's Edu Corner: Responsible Software Licensing

2005-12-16 Thread Xah Lee
Responsible Software Licensing

Xah Lee, 200307

Software is a interesting invention. Software has this interesting
property, that it can be duplicated without cost, as if like copying
money. Never in history are goods duplicable without cost. But with the
invention of computer, the ephemeral non-physical programs break that
precept. In digital form, programs and music and books all become goods
in essentially infinite quantity.

All is good except, bads in digital form can also multiply equally,
just as goods. Well known examples are computer viruses and email
spams. Unknown to the throng of unix morons are software bads. In a
unix moron's mind, the predominant quip among hackers is “where is
your code?”, singnifying the mentality that a hacker's prestige is
judged on how much code he has contributed to the community. Therefore,
every fucking studs and happy-go-lucky morons put their homework on the
net, with a big stamp of FREE, and quite proud of their
“contributions” to the world. These digital bads, including
irresponsible programs, protocols, and languages, spread like viruses
until they obtained the touting right of being the STANDARD or MOST
POPULAR in industry, as if indicating superior quality. Examplary are
C, Perl, RFC, X-Windows, Apache, MySQL, Pretty Home Page (and almost
anything out of unix). The harm of a virus is temporal. The harm of
irresponsible software (especially with unscrupulous promotion) is the
creation of a entire generation of bad thinking and monkey coders. The
scale can be compared as to putting a bullet in a person brain, versus
creating a creed with the Holocaust aftermath.

Distribution of software is easily like pollution. I thought of a law
that would ban the distribution of software bads, or like charging for
garbage collection in modern societies. The problem is the difficulty
of deciding what is good and what is bad. Like in so many things, i
think the ultimate help is for people to be aware; so-called education;
I believe, if people are made aware of the situation i spoke of, then
irresponsible software will decrease, regardless any individual's
opinion.

The most important measure to counter the tremendous harm that
irresponsible software has done to the industry is to begin with
responsible licenses, such that the producer of a software will be
liable for damage incurred thru their software. As we know, today's
software license comes with a disclaimer that essentially says the
software is sold as is and the producer is not responsible for any
damage, nor guaranteeing the functionality of the software. It is this,
that ferments all sorts of sloppitudes and fads and myths to rampage
and survive in the software industry. Once when software producers are
liable for their products, just as bridge or airplane or transportation
or house builders are responsible for the things they build, then
injurious fads and creeds the likes of (Perl, Programing Patterns,
eXtreme Programing, “Universal” Modeling Language...) will
automatically disappear by dint of market force without anyone's
stipulation.

In our already established infrastructure of software and industry
practices that is so already fucked up by existing shams, we can not
immediately expect a about-face in software licenses from 0 liability
to 100% liability. We should gradually make them responsible. And this,
comes not from artificial force, but gradual establishment of awareness
among software professionals and their consumers. (Producers include
single individual to software houses, and consumers include not just
mom & pop but from IT corps to military.)

Please spread this idea.

This post is archived at
http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/responsible_license.html

 Xah
 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 ∑ http://xahlee.org/

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Re: Licensing and Other Questions

2005-08-26 Thread David MacQuigg
On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 01:35:58 +0300, Christos Georgiou
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>Your method is/will_not be free (as in beer), as hinted in
>http://www.ece.arizona.edu/~edatools/home/email/registry/Form-Sender01.htm
>.  *That* is a drawback similar to the licensing of the Microsoft's
>Sender/Caller-ID scheme.  Why not support open, free standards?

These are fees for services, not license fees.  I don't know how you
could miss that.  The code is offered under the Python licence, which
is the most unrestrictive of any license I know about.

One of my goals is to provide an open-source version of what big
companies are now paying millions for - spam appliances with
proprietary methods.


On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 23:20:05 GMT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (John J. Lee) wrote:
>[David, in an earlier email]
>> reject.  15% will get an immediate accept without filtering, because
>> the sender is authenticated and has a good reputation.  Eventually,
>> all reputable senders will join the 15%, and the 5% will shrink to
>> where we can ignore it.
>
>Two questions you seem to be implicitly assuming particular answers
>to: Is widespread authentication a good thing?  Does it solve any
>problem not solved by Bayesian filtering plus good mail client
>support?  My first reaction is to answer "no" to both questions, so to
>regard your effort as harmful.  Might be interesting to hear why you
>think it's a good thing, though.

I really didn't intend for this to be a discussion of the merits of
filtering vs authentication.  I worry this will be a long discussion,
with no satisfactory conclusion, so I suggest we move these topics to
one of the email security forums.  My conclusion, after participating
in many such discussions, is that both filtering and authentication
are necessary tools, and a complete system should have both.

--
Dave

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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-14 Thread Leif K-Brooks
Harlin Seritt wrote:
If this is for making money, make it either a proprietary license or
BSD.
If you're giving it away and expect nothing for it except maybe fame,
do GPL.
You're kidding, right? How does the BSD license possibly offer more 
protection for a commercial program than the GPL does?
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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-14 Thread Daniel Dittmar
Leif K-Brooks wrote:
Harlin Seritt wrote:
If this is for making money, make it either a proprietary license or
BSD.
If you're giving it away and expect nothing for it except maybe fame,
do GPL.

You're kidding, right? How does the BSD license possibly offer more 
protection for a commercial program than the GPL does?
The BSD license offers less protection than the GPL. But it gives more 
rights to the buyer of the software, so it might be an easier sell.

Daniel
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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-13 Thread "Martin v. Löwis"
JanC wrote:
This is difficult to do right, if you have to consider all the laws in 
different countries...
Right. So he points out that his explanations are for US copyright law
only, and then that legislation even in different US states, or perhaps
even in districts, might be different. Therefore, a license should state
what jurisdiction it applies to.
Regards,
Martin
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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-13 Thread JanC
Martin v. Löwis schreef:

> Larry argues that a license should be legally meaningful, and
> legally clear - or else there is little point in formulating
> a license in the first place.

This is difficult to do right, if you have to consider all the laws in 
different countries...

-- 
JanC

"Be strict when sending and tolerant when receiving."
RFC 1958 - Architectural Principles of the Internet - section 3.9
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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-12 Thread "Martin v. Löwis"
Ville Vainio wrote:
Daniel> Thanks for the advice.  I'll probably go with either the
Daniel> BSD license, or possibly the LGPL.  But I'm leaning
Daniel> towards the BSD since it fits on the screen...
Isn't MIT license even shorter and simpler? A while ago some Debian
guys were speculating whether even BSD license is "free enough" to
include in Debian...
I encourage anybody to read Larry Rosen's book on this matter,
http://www.phptr.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0131487876&rl=1
Larry describes what he likes and dislikes about each of the licenses
from a legal point of view - giving insights you cannot possibly get
without law school.
For example, the BSD license reads
"Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without 
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are 
met: [...]"

Compare this to the rights that a copyright holder has, e.g. from
http://www.whatiscopyright.org/
"exclusive right to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute, 
perform and display the work publicly."

Strictly speaking, the BSD license gives non of these rights to the
licensee. The right to redistribute is probably *meant* to include
the right to reproduce - or is it meant to allow distribution only the
very copy that you received yourself (so you have no copy after 
distribution). The right to use is not one that copyright law has
control over, so what does it mean that the license gives you that
right? (*)

What about the right to prepare derivative works? Most likely,
the license is *meant* to give this right also, since you are
permitted to redistribute modifications (but then, perhaps only
modifications of the original author?). And so on.
Larry argues that a license should be legally meaningful, and
legally clear - or else there is little point in formulating
a license in the first place. If the license is formulated
ambiguously, in the case of doubt, courts will have to interpret
them. While courts are capable of producing such an interpretation,
they sometimes do so in a surprising manner (*).
I've been picking on the BSD license because I can remember
the complaints Larry has about its text.
Regards,
Martin
(*) If you are curious: Larry argues that, while the permission to
use is meaningless in copyright law, it is meaningful in patent
law. To use something, you need a license for all patents that
would otherwise prevent you from using it. So the permission to
use *could* be interpreted to be a patent license. However, most
likely, the authors of the license did not intend it to be a
patent license - so what the right to use is remains unclear,
until courts rule on this aspect.
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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-12 Thread Harlin Seritt
When you ask an opinion, you can expect a long thread list... even if
it's something inane like "What kind of license should I use?"...
hacker/geeks/freaks/wannabes are only too happy to issue an opinion --
warranted or otherwise...

Regards,

Harlin Seritt

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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-12 Thread Harlin Seritt
If this is for making money, make it either a proprietary license or
BSD.

If you're giving it away and expect nothing for it except maybe fame,
do GPL.

:-)

Regards,

Harlin Seritt

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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-12 Thread Ville Vainio
> "Daniel" == Daniel Keep <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

Daniel> Thanks for the advice.  I'll probably go with either the
Daniel> BSD license, or possibly the LGPL.  But I'm leaning
Daniel> towards the BSD since it fits on the screen...

Isn't MIT license even shorter and simpler? A while ago some Debian
guys were speculating whether even BSD license is "free enough" to
include in Debian...

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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-12 Thread Daniel Keep
Wow.  That was fast.  PHP forums eat your heart out :P

Thanks for the advice.  I'll probably go with either the BSD license,
or possibly the LGPL.  But I'm leaning towards the BSD since it fits on
the screen...

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Re: Licensing Python code under the Python license

2005-03-11 Thread Robert Kern
Daniel Keep wrote:
I'm currently working on a Python program, and was wondering if it's
possible to license the program, some associated tools, and a few other
libraries I've written under the Python license.
I had a look at the new PSF Python license on the list of OSI-approved
licenses, but it makes numerous direct mentions of Python and the PSF.
Is there any acceptable way to simply say that a particular source file
is under the PSF license (like you can w/ the GPL/LGPL), and would it
even apply?
Or am I just on the completely wrong track, and should I look
elsewhere? :P
Please don't. Because it does include proper names that you would have 
to replace (and not in a properly templated fashion like some other 
public licenses), it just becomes awkward because you can't really call 
it "the PSF license" anymore.

If you want a similar license, please consider the following licenses 
instead:

http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php
http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php
http://www.opensource.org/licenses/afl-2.1.php
--
Robert Kern
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
 Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
  -- Richard Harter
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