Developing Commercial Applications in Python

[Steve Holden]

eeykay at gmail.com wrote:

> Hello All,
> I am trying to convince my client to use Python in his new product. He
> is worried about the license issues. Can somebody there to point me any
> good commercial applications developed using python ?. The licence
> clearly says Python can be used for commercial applications. Is there
> any other implications like that of GPL to make the source open ?
> Thanks for any help.
> eeykay
> 
No. The Python license explicitly allows you to distribute derived works 
(i.e. Python applications including the standard compiler, or modified 
versions of the compiler) without obliging you to disclose the source 
code in the way that the GPL does.

The only obligation the license places on you are

a) You must retain the original copyright notices and
b) If you *do* distribute modified versions, you must include a brief 
description of your modifications.

I believe the Python License Version 2, as found at

   http://www.python.org/moin/PythonSoftwareFoundationLicenseV2Easy

is about as simple as a license can get, yet still the Foundation 
receives inquiries from people whose lawyers are unconvinced there are 
no hidden problems. Of course, IANAL, so the lawyers could be right, but 
at least the INTENT is pretty obvious.

Also beware if you plan to use "The Python License" for your own 
software, and read

   http://www.python.org/moin/PythonSoftwareFoundationLicenseFaq

if you are thinking of doing so. Of course, there are many contributions 
which were licensed to the Foundation for inclusion in the distribution. 
The Foundation is currently in the process of regularizing the "license 
stack" thus created, by negotiating with individual contributors to 
ensure that a compatible license is initially granted to the PSF.

Nothing is currently believed to prohibit the Foundation from licensing 
current releases on the terms that it does, but I should include a 
disclaimer that this is *not* an official statement from the 
Foundation, rather an explanation from one of its directors (an 
all-too-fallible human being) about what's lately been happening in the 
licensing space.

regards
  Steve
-- 
Steve Holden               http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming  http://pydish.holdenweb.com/
Holden Web LLC      +1 703 861 4237  +1 800 494 3119