[Catalog-sig] Troubled by changes to PyPI usage agreement

[Ben Finney]

Howdy all,

In the Subversion repository for PyPI, this revision appeared:

=====
$ bzr info .
Repository checkout (format: 2a)
Location:
  repository checkout root: .
        checkout of branch: https://svn.python.org/packages/trunk/pypi
         shared repository: /home/bignose/Projects/python/pypi

$ bzr log --revision 655
------------------------------------------------------------
revno: 655
svn revno: 690 (on /trunk/pypi)
committer: martin.von.loewis
timestamp: Sun 2009-11-29 17:15:12 +0000
message:
  Update usage agreement according to Van Lindberg's instructions.
=====

The revision modifies various files for the web interface, changing the
wording of an agreement and requiring an “I agree” checkbox to be
checked.

=====
$ bzr diff --change 655 | diffstat
 templates/openid_return.pt |   28 +++++++++++++++++++---------
 templates/register.pt      |   32 +++++++++++++++++++++++---------
 webui.py                   |    6 ++++++
 3 files changed, 48 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
=====

The new wording is one that I can't agree to:

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[…]
+             <li>Content is restricted to Python packages and related information only.</li>
+             <li>Any content uploaded to PyPI is provided on a non-confidential basis.</li>
+             <li>The PSF is free to use or disseminate any content that I upload on an 
+               unrestricted basis for any purpose. In particular, the PSF and all other 
+               users of the web site are granted an irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, 
+               nonexclusive license to reproduce, distribute, transmit, display, perform, 
+               and publish the content, including in digital form.</li>
+             <li>I represent and warrant that I have complied with all government 
+               regulations […]
=====

The content that I submit to PyPI is licensed under specific license
terms. That certainly does *not* allow the PSF to “use or disseminate
any content that I upload on an unrestricted basis for any purpose”,
etc.; it allows only those acts permitted by the license terms granted
in the work.

I have already registered an account at PyPI, and never agreed to this
wording. (The previous wording was much less broad and unobjectionable.)
I would not have noticed it changing if I had not been investigating the
PyPI website source code.

Will the PSF claim I am bound by it anyway? What about future changes?

Why was this wording chosen? How does the PSF propose to reconcile this
with copyright holders's chosen license terms for their work?

-- 
 \       “Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea |
  `\                                    of liberty.” —Thomas Jefferson |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney