Licensing Status of Python 1.5

[Pat McCann]

"Tim Peters" <tim_one at email.msn.com> writes:

> Part of the problem with the CWI text is apparently that it never *called*
> itself "a license".  The link to the CWI copyright text has vanished from
> the python.org homepage, but the text is still on the website:
> 
>     http://python.org/doc/Copyright.html

(All my non-legal-advice opinion:)

Calling itself a license would be irrelevant (except at a lower-level
need to ape all legal forms).  The words need to make an offer of
contract which will be in effect when accepted by licensee (some places 
(where?) require "consideration" to be exchanged).

> That it doesn't identify itself as "a license" via Jurisprudently Approved
> mumbo jumbo, coupled with its utter lack of restrictions on users,
> apparently makes it fall into a class of thingie some lawyers believe can be
> unilaterally withdrawn at will by the licensor.  OTOH, it's not hard to find
> blather that doesn't play along with that, even when it's 100% clear that
> the license was intended to be revocable (e.g., "A bare license ... being
> without consideration, may be revoked at pleasure, as long as it remains
> executory; 39 Hen. VI. M. 12, page 7; but when carried into effect, either
> partially or altogether, it can only be rescinded, if in its nature it will
> admit of revocation, by placing the other side in the same situation in
> which he stood before he entered on its execution. 8 East, R. 308; Palm. 71;
> S. C. Poph. 151; S. C. 2 Roll. Rep. 143, 152." yadda yadda yadda).

I'm glad you found that.  I hope the situation hasn't changed since 1856.

Google found it at http://www.alaska.net/~winter/bouvier1856_license.html

(I found http://www.alaska.net/~winter/ quite interesting too.  And it
has other law dictionaries and stuff a Patriot might find interesting.
BTW, that same page link above says if I open my door, the knocker has
an implied license to enter my house (only until I revoke it, I hope).)

If I had no MyPython before I saw the CWI license, I wouldn't I be in
the same situation after it was revoked?  But I suspect you're right 
about there being limits to revocation.