[Python-Dev] License question (original) (raw)

Tim Peters tim.one@comcast.net
Sun, 17 Mar 2002 00:37:03 -0500

[Gustavo Niemeyer]

I'm working on a module to handle bzip2 files and data. In the process, I've used some code based on fileobject.c. Considering the current python license, can I release this module under LGPL?

The Python license gives you the right to prepare derivative works and to license them under any terms you like, but it does not give you the right to relicense those parts of your derivative work that you got from Python. The Python license continues to apply to those:

provided, however, that PSF's License Agreement and PSF's notice of
copyright, i.e., "Copyright (c) 2001 Python Software Foundation; All
Rights Reserved" are retained in ... any derivative version prepared
by Licensee.

Ditto for the other licenses the PSF license is stacked on top of. So you have to retain the file full of licenses and copyrights that came with your Python distribution. They don't apply to the original portions of your work, just to the portions of your work that came from the Python distribution.

Note also:

3. In the event Licensee prepares a derivative work that is based
on or incorporates Python 2.2 or any part thereof, and wants to make
the derivative work available to others as provided herein, then
Licensee hereby agrees to include in any such work a brief summary
of the changes made to Python 2.2.

This is to help us, you, and your users keep track of which parts of your work are bound by the Python license, and which are bound by the license you put on top of the stack. Your work "as a whole" will be bound by your license too, but the Python license doesn't allow you to forbid others to reuse the Python portions of your work with the same freedom we let you use it.

So, copy over the license file, and write a brief blurb explaining which parts of the Python stuff is your original work.