[Python-Dev] VC 7.1 maintenance?

[Jack Jansen]

On 24 Jun 2004, at 07:15, Martin v. Löwis wrote:

> Jack Jansen wrote:
>>> That's indeed my understanding of The Plan today.  More, we will not 
>>> have a
>>> VC6 binary for Python 2.4.  That may be controversial, but nobody has
>>> volunteered to produce an installer for a VC6 version.
>> Does this mean that the final answer to the question of whether VC7 
>> was GPL-compatible was "yes"?
>
> I don't recall that the question has been asked before - let alone
> recalling an answer to it.
>
> If you were wondering about the question "is it possible to build
> extension modules for a VC7 compiled Python without having to buy
> VC7", then this question would have nothing to do with legal issues,
> but much more with technical ones.

The question I mean is that the GPL says "You shall not link against 
commercial libraries, unless they are part of the base OS". The second 
part of that sentence could be considered true for the VC6 version of 
MSVCRT, but not for the VC7 one. Actually, Microsoft strongly suggest 
you ship msvcr71.dll (or whatever the name) with the application, and 
not put it into /System. That appears to me to be a definite no-no for 
GPL software.
--
Jack Jansen, <Jack.Jansen at cwi.nl>, http://www.cwi.nl/~jack
If I can't dance I don't want to be part of your revolution -- Emma 
Goldman