[Python-Dev] Re: Cygwin Python Distribution (was ANNOUNCE: Python 2.1 final release)

[Jason Tishler]

On Fri, Apr 20, 2001 at 07:37:01PM -0500, Clark C. Evans wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Apr 2001, Jason Tishler wrote:
> > I have contributed Python to the standard Cygwin distribution.  Cygwin
> > Python is located in the contrib/python directory on the Cygwin mirrors.
> > Cygwin's setup.exe will automatically install Cygwin Python the next
> > time one installs or updates from a mirror.
> 
> This is interesting.  From what I understand, if you link
> against cygwin.dll, the software must be released under
> the GPL.  Thus, is the licensing debate over?  Do you
> have the right to re-license python under the GPL? Or am
> I missing something fundmental here? 
> 
> $ objdump -p python2.1.exe | grep DLL
>  vma:            Hint    Time      Forward  DLL       First
>         DLL Name: KERNEL32.dll
>         DLL Name: cygwin1.dll
>         DLL Name: libpython2.1.dll
> 
> Sorry to bring this up... I'm just curious.

Clark brings up a valid point.  Did I screw up from a licensing point
of view?

I found the following on the Python web site:

    However, we expect that Python 2.0 and later versions, released by
    BeOpen PythonLabs, will be released under a GPL-compatible license.

IANAL, any guidance regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

-- 
Jason Tishler
Director, Software Engineering       Phone: +1 (732) 264-8770 x235
Dot Hill Systems Corp.               Fax:   +1 (732) 264-8798
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