[Python-Dev] MS VC 7 offer

[Neil Hodgson]

M.-A. Lemburg:

> Personally I don't think that people will switch to VC7 all that
> soon -- the .NET libs are still far from being stable and as I read
> the quotes on the VC compiler included in the .NET SDK, it will only
> generate code that runs with the .NET libs installed. Could be wrong,
> though.

   VC7 can produce stand-alone binaries that do not need the .NET framework
or even the C runtime DLLs. I have distributed executable versions of my
Scintilla and SciTE projects built with VC7 for 9 months now. The
executables are quite a bit smaller and faster (average of 10%) over VC6.
The link time code generation option which can inline functions at link time
rather than compile time is effective.

   Possible issues with moving to VC7 are ensuring compatibility with
extension modules and the End User License Agreement. I looked at the EULA
thoroughly before buying VC7 as the license includes some clauses that may
cause problems for open source software that may be included in GPLed
applications. Redistributing applications compiled with VC7 is OK, but
redistributing the runtime DLLs such as msvcr70.dll (which is not already
present on pre VC7 versions of Windows) can not be done with GPLed code:
"""
(ii) not distributing Identified Software in conjunction with the
Redistributables or a derivative work thereof;
...
 Identified Software includes, without limitation, any software that
requires as a condition of use, modification and/or distribution of such
software that other software incorporated into, derived from or distributed
with such software be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form; (2)
be licensed for the purpose of making derivative works; or (3) be
redistributable at no charge.
"""

   MS may have come to their senses and dropped this for Visual Studio 2003.

   It can be quite fun tracking the EULA down and working out which
components are licensed under which EULA. When downloading .NET before VC7
was available, the web site EULA was different to the installer's version.

   Neil