Version incomptabilities, code changes, __future__, etc

[mcc at TO.GD-ES.COM]

On Thu, 12 Jul 2001 mcherm at destiny.com wrote:

> simonb at webone.com.au wrote:
> > i don't want to see any more versions of python.
> > ITS FINISHED
> > AND I LOVE IT RIGHT NOW
> > if you want more then make a new language.
> 
> Regretably, Simon, you are out of luck. In order to convince
> Microsoft to support Python natively in their .NET initiative,
> Guido was forced to make several major concessions. One of those
> was to recind the "Open Source" liscense, which allowed anyone
> to freely use Python -- using any version they wanted for (pretty
> much) any purpose.
> 
> Unfortunately, Python is now released on a more restrictive
> liscense, which, in a future version, will require all Python
> programs to contact a Microsoft Certification server and
> present a Passport certification before executing. In order to
> ensure that everyone migrates to the new version of the software
> (to be released as soon as Microsoft finishes building the 
> infrastructure), the migration will be mandatory.

This "bon mot" needs more clarification.  This implies that Python will
only be available to the Windows community.  There are environments where
Microsoft Certification servers will never exist.  If there will now be
a component added to Python to only allow its use when authorized by a
Microsoft Certification server, then one may need to change or develop a
new solution set.

I'm not particularly opposed to forking off a "Python for Microsoft
Windows Environments" or a "Python for Microsoft Certification Server
Environments" as long as there remains a Python for other communities of
interest.  If the latter is not going to occur, then I need to reconsider
whether or not Python is part of a viable solution.

Merton Campbell Crockett