RE: [Python-Dev] Is msvcr71.dll re-redistributable?
At 01:23 PM 2/3/05 +1300, Tony Meyer wrote:
(Users giving the software directly to someone else, rather than downloading from the official site, is probably covered by:
"""You also agree not to permit further distribution of the Redistributables by your end users except you may permit further redistribution of the Redistributables by your distributors to your end-user customers if your distributors only distribute the Redistributables in conjunction with, and as part of, the Licensee Software and you and your distributors comply with all other terms of this EULA."""
Where the users become our redistributors.)
Sounds like this puts all Python users in the clear, since Python is the Licensee Software in that case. So, anybody can distribute msvcr71 as "part of" Python. OTOH, the other wording sounds like Python itself has to have a click-wrap, tear-open, or signature EULA! IOW, the EULA appears to prohibit free distribution of the runtime with a program that has no EULA. So, in an amusing turn of events, the EULA actually appears to forbid the current offering of Python for Windows, since it does not have such a EULA. This is a much bigger worry than the original question. If we're actually allowed to distribute Python with the runtime at all, then py2exe and such are perfectly safe, since it's in conjunction with permitted redistribution. If distribution of the runtime is not allowed, on the other hand, then use of MSVC 7 for Python becomes altogether impossible without adding some kind of click-wrap licensing scheme.
"Phillip J. Eby" <pje@telecommunity.com> wrote in message news:5.1.1.6.0.20050202195401.038c04d0@mail.telecommunity.com...
So, in an amusing turn of events, the EULA actually appears to forbid the current offering of Python for Windows, since it does not have such a EULA.
Except of course that MS gave Python developers several copies of its newest compiler specifically for the purpose of compiling the Windows distribution. It would be nice to get a clear English statement from MS. I have dealt with the legalese in property sales agreements, lease agreements, and normal software licenses, but the quoted EULA snippets are the most obscure by far. Terry J. Reedy
On 3 Feb 2005, at 02:01, Phillip J. Eby wrote:
Sounds like this puts all Python users in the clear, since Python is the Licensee Software in that case. So, anybody can distribute msvcr71 as "part of" Python.
OTOH, the other wording sounds like Python itself has to have a click-wrap, tear-open, or signature EULA! IOW, the EULA appears to prohibit free distribution of the runtime with a program that has no EULA.
So, in an amusing turn of events, the EULA actually appears to forbid the current offering of Python for Windows, since it does not have such a EULA.
That was also my conclusion last year:-( But at least Python can still be distributed without msvcr71, putting the burden of obtaining it on the end user, because of Python's license. In another project we're using GPL, and careful reading (disclaimer: IANAL) has not convinced me that GPL and the EULA are compatible. Actually, I have this vague feeling that the MSVC 7 EULA (plus the fact that MS isn't shipping msvcr71.dll with Windows) might have been drafted specifically to be incompatible with the clause in GPL that doesn't allow you to link against third party libraries unless they're part of the OS. What we've done in that project is link with msvcr71.dll, but not include it in the installer. I think that we could (theoretically) still be dragged into court by the FSF, but at least not by Microsoft. -- Jack Jansen, <Jack.Jansen@cwi.nl>, http://www.cwi.nl/~jack If I can't dance I don't want to be part of your revolution -- Emma Goldman
participants (3)
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Jack Jansen -
Phillip J. Eby -
Terry Reedy