[License-discuss] Question about Python 2.0 license

Tue Feb 23 21:43:52 UTC 2021

If no one is against it, I will submit an approval request to update the
Python license text to the current version listed on Python's website. I'll
wait a week or so before submitting in case anyone thinks otherwise.

Thank you,

Candice

On Sat, Feb 13, 2021 at 1:23 PM Gregor Hoffleit <gregor at hoffleit.de> wrote:

> You're right, Candice. I didn't read down until there, my fault.
>
> This is a very important difference indeed.
>
> The wording of this paragraph as used on the OSI site made the license
> incompatible with the GPL, from the point of view of the FSF (since it
> makes this license governed by a state law). This wording was used in
> Python 1.6b1, 2.0 and 2.1:
> https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.en.html#PythonOld
>
> Earlier versions of Python didn't have this problem, they were compatible
> with the GPL:
> https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.en.html#Python1.6a2
>
> Due to this problem, the license was changed later on in Python 2.0.1,
> 2.1.1 and all newer versions to the current wording, which again is
> compatible with the GPL:
> https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#Python
>
>
> For the "Python-2.0" license text on the OSI site:
>
> - this is not the license of Python 2.0 (although quite similar)
>     Python 2.0: https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.0/license/
>     OSI: https://opensource.org/licenses/Python-2.0
>
> - it looks incompatible with the GPL (due to the paragraph 7)
>
> - it looks somehow older than the Python 2.0 and even 2.0b1 licenses
> (since it incorporates the CNRI portion of 1.6b1)
>
> - but then, the license is issued by the Python Software Foundation
> ("PSF") which means it is later than 2.1.
>
>
> At the moment I'm lost to see where this license text comes from.
>
>
> Best regards,
>     Gregor Hoffleit
>
>
> PS: I just sent a mail to the webmaster begging to reformat this
> Python-2.0 license text.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *Von: *"Candice Wright" <timelessdevotion at gmail.com>
> *An: *"license-discuss" <license-discuss at lists.opensource.org>
> *Gesendet: *Freitag, 12. Februar 2021 21:56:16
> *Betreff: *Re: [License-discuss] Question about Python 2.0 license
>
> When I check the differences, 2.7.5 is not copied from what is listed on
> OSI. The OSI site lists Python 1.6b1 or Python 1.6, beta 1. This isn't
> present in the current version or in 2.7.5; both list 1.6.1 instead.
> Paragraph 7 in the CNRI portion is short compared to how it is in the
> current version of license.
>
> OSI:
> 7. This License Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in all
> respects by the law of the State of Virginia, excluding conflict of law
> provisions. Nothing in this License Agreement shall be deemed to create any
> relationship of agency, partnership, or joint venture between CNRI and
> Licensee. This License Agreement does not grant permission to use CNRI
> trademarks or trade name in a trademark sense to endorse or promote
> products or services of Licensee, or any third party.
>
> Python:
> 7. This License Agreement shall be governed by the federal intellectual
> property law of the United States, including without limitation the federal
> copyright law, and, to the extent such U.S. federal law does not apply, by
> the law of the Commonwealth of Virginia, excluding Virginia's conflict of
> law provisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with regard to derivative
> works based on Python 1.6.1 that incorporate non-separable material that
> was previously distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), the
> law of the Commonwealth of Virginia shall govern this License Agreement
> only as to issues arising under or with respect to Paragraphs 4, 5, and 7
> of this License Agreement.  Nothing in this License Agreement shall be
> deemed to create any relationship of agency, partnership, or joint venture
> between CNRI and Licensee.  This License Agreement does not grant
> permission to use CNRI trademarks or trade name in a trademark sense to
> endorse or promote products or services of Licensee, or any third party.
> Maybe the version listed on the OSI site comes from a version that only
> existed for a brief time or maybe a draft? It could be why I can't find it
> on the Python site or used by a python project.
>
>
> Candice
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 3:53 AM Gregor Hoffleit <gregor at hoffleit.de>
> wrote:
>
>> From what I can see, the license text on the OSI site (
>> https://opensource.org/licenses/Python-2.0) is in fact copied from the
>> license of Python 2.7.5:
>> (https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7.5/license/
>> <https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7.5/license/>).
>>
>> The history of the Python license had a few rough edges. The Python
>> project website has a short history of Python and its license:
>> https://docs.python.org/3/license.html
>>
>> Most important, there was a short period in 2000/2001 in which Python was
>> distributed with licenses which were not compatible with the GPL. Namely
>> the licenses of Python 1.6, 2.0 and 2.1. This problem was later on fixed
>> with changes to the licenses in 1.6.1, 2.0.1 and 2.1.1.
>>
>> So the license of Python 2.0 was substantially different from 2.0.1 and
>> different from the licenses of later Python versions.
>>
>> I would have to browse through my mail archives regarding the details of
>> the problems.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>     Gregor Hoffleit
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *Von: *"Candice Wright" <timelessdevotion at gmail.com>
>> *An: *license-discuss at lists.opensource.org
>> *Gesendet: *Donnerstag, 11. Februar 2021 18:38:04
>> *Betreff: *[License-discuss] Question about Python 2.0 license
>>
>> Hi everyone!
>>
>>
>>
>> I’m trying to find out why the Python 2.0 license listed on OSI and SPDX
>> differs some from the Python license listed on their site. I help with
>> ClearlyDefined, which uses SPDX identifiers to identify project licenses,
>> but the difference in the license text is having some of us think we
>> shouldn't use 'Python-2.0' for Python projects since it isn’t a match.
>>
>>
>>
>> I’m not very familiar with the history of Python and the license, but I
>> couldn’t find the version listed on OSI being used in the Python projects I
>> have come across.
>>
>>
>>
>> Can someone help me understand why there is a difference and if we can
>> update the wording to match the current Python license text?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>>
>>
>> Candice
>>
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>
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