[Python-Dev] license issues with profiler.py and md5.h/md5c.c

[Matthias Klose]

A Debian user pointed out (http://bugs.debian.org/293932), that the
current license for the Python profiler is not conforming to the DFSG
(Debian free software guidelines).

http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/node829.html states

  "This permission is explicitly restricted to the copying and
  modification of the software to remain in Python, compiled Python,
  or other languages (such as C) wherein the modified or derived code
  is exclusively imported into a Python module."

The DFSG, http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html#s-dfsg,
third paragraph state:

  "Derived Works
    The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must
    allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license
    of the original software."

- Does somebody knows about the history of this license, why it is
  more restricted than the Python license?
- Is there a chance to change the license for these two modules
  (profile.py, pstats.py)?


The md5.h/md5c.c files allow "copy and use", but no modification of
the files. There are some alternative implementations, i.e. in glibc,
openssl, so a replacement should be sage. Any other requirements when
considering a replacement?

	Matthias