Which version of MSVC?90.DLL's to distribute with Python 2.6 based Py2exe executables?

[Stephen Hansen]

Jonathan Hartley <tartley at tartley.com> writes:


>  These

are non-technical users, so I'd rather send them a single executable
> that 'just works',


[break]

rather than asking them to install Python and then
> coach them through running a script - they would HATE that as a
> solution.
>

Whoa... How can you go from "single executable that 'just works'" to "asking
them to install Python and then coach them" -- there's /miles/ of difference
between the two of those options and countless places for you to sit between
them.

This isn't an issue which is unique to Python, or which has anything to do
with Python at all-- or that Python has any power to do anything about. This
is the platform and ecosystem that Microsoft has made for you, and they
alone have any power to change anything in this arena. This is their code,
not Python's, and they define the rules by which you can use it.

One way to get those files is to just install python, yes. As Python was
compiled with a legally licensed version of Visual C++ (though gratis from
Microsoft, I believe), they have the rights to redistribute those files.
Here though, /you/ are creating a new work-- and even though it includes
Python its not a derivative of Python-- and distributing it. The question
is, do /you/ have the right to distribute those files? That Python did
originally, and you're using Python, does not automatically mean that yes
you do-- lawyer-logic does not necessarily equate to layman-logic.

I have no idea what the answer to that question is, actually; IANAL and I
have never needed to make a stand-alone windows exe out of python where it
wasn't a simple matter to include a link to Microsoft's website where anyone
is free to download and install those redistributable components.

This came up a few years ago if memory serves, and I don't remember anyone
having a conclusive answer to it, and people argued a bit over Microsoft's
EULA granting redistribution rights. I don't remember any actual lawyers
chiming in, so I think the question was never solved: and that means in the
end you should assume you do not have the right, as the assumption in the
other direction is sorta bad.

Yes, in an ideal world people wouldn't need to run anything but your .exe.
But the reality is, they probably will need to install the redistributable
-- but come on.. The VC2008 (which is VC++ 9.0, which is what Python was
compiled with) package is only 1.7 megs. Its not *that* big of a deal to say
hey, if it doesn't work install this.

There's nothing else you (or anyone else) can do about it. Until Microsoft
open-sources Visual Studio :)

--S
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