[portland] Protecting Intellectual Property In Python Applications

[Rich Shepard]

   Python is an interpreted scripting language with outstanding mathematical
libraries and a great UI development tool in wxPython. Unlike complied
languages such as C the underlying code is visible to everyone who looks at
it. This is a problem when the application is unique and proprietary.

   Consider the context. Suppose you wrote an application that analyzed -- in
real time -- a commercial building's energy use and made adjustments that
saved 50% of the energy formerly consumed. You want to sell this application
to building owners and managers but you don't want actual or potential
competitors to appropriate your intellectual property that figuring out the
energy savings represents. It's your business, your ideas, and your
potential source of financial independence. How would you protect the
underlying source code from being mis-used by a potential competitor when
you sold your application to clients?

   My situation is analogous and I don't want to start over by re-writing
everything in C. Your suggestions and recommendations are wanted.

Rich