[Python-3000] C API for ints and strings (original) (raw)

"Martin v. Löwis" martin at v.loewis.de
Tue Sep 11 13:03:18 CEST 2007

In the GPL FAQ (<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html>). Specifically:

Can I put the binaries on my Internet server and put the source on a different Internet site?

Ok. As you say, this applies to downloading only.

Of course, as several people have now pointed out, non-internet distribution would still have to ship the source code on their own, since the FAQ also prefers that source distribution be done by the same method as binary distribution.

I'm glad we now agree that you have to ship GMP sources with any Python binary that you distribute.

However, that being said, I don't see it as particularly onerous to add a small source distribution to a CD, since there's only a marginal increase in effective cost.

So the issue now is only whether that's acceptable. I think it is not; CPython should not rely on LGPL'ed code.

All of this being said, GMP has been shot down for plenty of good technical reasons, which is really the question that was asked in the first place.

Hmm. You asked "Would anyone be opposed to rehosting PyLong on top of GMP?", which is a different question than the one you just said you asked. If you had agreed on the facts from the beginning, this entire discussion would not have taken place.

This legal discussion is bordering on the sublime at this point, given that no one is actually suggesting that we bind Python to any LGPL software (nor, by the way, was that actually ever suggested - the question was asked of what the community thought of a particular piece of software

No, that was not the question, either. You asked "Would anyone be opposed to rehosting PyLong on top of GMP?", not "what do you think about GMP?". "rehosting PyLong on top of GMP" literally requires binding Python to GMP.

and an idea in general, and instead of answering that question, most decided to explain what they thought of a particular license, ignoring the technical questions entirely).

I personally never said what I think of the LGPL. I was merely trying to explain what it actually says. FWIW, I quite like both the GPL, and the LGPL, and applaud the motivations behind it. That's why I prefer to follow it faithfully, and in its spirit, rather than trying to weasel-word out of it.

Regards, Martin

More information about the Python-3000 mailing list