win32all license for python 1.5.2?

Neil Hodgson neilh at scintilla.org
Wed Jan 10 06:25:20 EST 2001


Michael Scharf:

> I am slightly confused with the python licenses: We use
> python 1.5.2 for a commercial product (SNiFF+
> http://www.windriver.com/products/html/sniff.html). We now
> want to use the win32 COM extensions from
> http://www.python.org/windows/win32all .
>
> Following the links, I end up with this license agreement:
>
> http://www.activestate.com/Products/ActivePython/License_Agreement.html

   That's one way of traversing the links - another is to go to
http://www.activestate.com/Products/ActivePython/win32all.html
   or
http://starship.python.net/crew/mhammond/win32/Downloads.html
   and download one of the win32all builds such as 135 which works with
BeOpen Python 2.0. After installation, the License.txt files found in the
win32, win32com and PythonWin directories says more sensible things,
ackowledging that copyright is mostly held by Mark Hammond although there
are contributions from others. Redistribution is specifically allowed except
for the normal acknowledgement, non-use of the Mark Hammond brand when
advertising (as if!), and warranty disclaimer.

>   ... You may not distribute copies of this Package, or copies of
>   packages derived from this Package, to others outside your
>   organization without specific prior written permission from
>   ActiveState (although you are encouraged to direct them to
>   sources from which they may obtain it for themselves)...

   So don't use the bits that are downloaded as ActivePython. Equivalently
good bits are available separately. ActivePython is currently just a nicely
collected bunch of software.

> The questions:
> - Can we use win32all for our commercial product?

   Sure can.

> - Do we need this permission for the 1.5.2 version?

   No.

> - What must copyright notes must appear where?

   If you include PythonWin or win32
Copyright (c) 1994-2000, Mark Hammond

   If you include win32com
Copyright (c) 1996-2000, Greg Stein and Mark Hammond.

   The licenses say nothing about where they are to appear just that they
are to reproduced. I'd stick them in the about box and when that gets too
big add a [Boring bits] button to the about box.

> - What do we have to make available and in which form?

   Nothing.

> Can anybody explain this to me (or give me a pointer to a
> document, a non-native speaker and non-lawyer can
> understand...)

   I'm sure Mark will pop up if I got anything wrong.

   Neil






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