Python - open forever ?

[Tim Peters]

[Romans Krjukovs]
> Our company is going to start use Python widely.
> To make this reality we have to include Python in our strategy
> plans for at least 3 nearest years.
> This would be a green light to our developers to start new projects on
> Python.
>
> At the presentation of Python and its usage posiibilities in our
> home environment to the members of the project managers board,
> we got such questions:
>
> - There is a risk that Python can become closed and unsupported in the
> future.

"closed" and "unsupported" are different issues.

The Python Software Foundation (PSF) holds the Python copyright.  The PSF is
a membership organization, the members elect the Board of Directors, and the
Board sets the license.  I'm on the Board, and it's simply inconceivable to
me that we would even *think* about closing Python.  If we did, then (a) the
PSF membership would surely vote us out, and elect a new Board to reverse
that stupid decision; and, (b) the PSF would be in legal trouble, because
the PSF isn't just a non-profit corporation, it's a "public charity" (that's
a technical term) under US tax law, and is constrained to act in accord with
its charitable purposes.

The idea that the PSF would voluntarily close Python is really too silly to
worry about.  If your company is indeed going to base part of its business
on Python, it would be wise to apply for a PSF Sponsor Member position, and
then it would have a vote (indirectly, via its vote for Board members) on
Python's license too:

    http://www.python.org/psf/

Worry about involuntary conversion to closed-source (e.g., in case of
bankruptcy) is also unfounded.  As is the norm for US public charities, the
PSF's Articles of Incorporation:

    http://www.python.org/psf/records/incorporation.html

require that assets of the PSF pass to:

    one or more organizations which themselves are exempt as
    organizations described in Sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c)(2) of
    the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or corresponding
    sections of any prior or future law, or to the federal, state,
    or local government for exclusive public purpose

The spirit of all this legal stuff is that the PSF holds the copyright on
Python for the benefit of public-interest purposes.  It's not allowed to
enrich itself (or other legal entities) at the expense of public good.  For
example, we couldn't sell the Python copryight to Microsoft even if we
wanted to.

> - Who can guarantee that Python will be usable and available  to us if
> it is develeped and maintained by the hackers from all over the world
> without any obligations and guarantees ?

That one is funny <wink>.  It's exactly *because* hackers all over the world
have the source code, and under a license that allows them to do just about
anything with it, that Python support will never vanish.  Your managers are
surely wary of single-source supplier arrangements in all other areas of
your business!   Why they think it might be a good thing to get locked into
a single supplier for critical software is beyond me, although I realize
this odd concern isn't unique to your company.

> - How we can minimize such risk ? (Become a member of some club,
>   buy licenses, support etc.)

Support the PSF, join the Python Business Forum:

    http://www.python-in-business.org/

and, above all, participate in the Python community.  What you get with
Python is the total of what contributors have given to it.  Become
contributors yourselves, and your fears will melt away -- you'll see how
Python really works then.