[License-review] Python licenses: Python-2.0.1, PSF-2.0, CNRI-Python-GPL-Compatible

[Nico Rikken]

Hi all,

I'd like to request a review of all Python licenses, with SPDX IDs
Python-2.0.1, PSF-2.0, CNRI-Python-GPL-Compatible. Python-2.0 and CNRI-
Python have already been reviewed and have status 'Non-Reusable'.

It makes sense to review them as a set, because PSF-2.0 and CNRI-
Python-GPL-Compatible are part of the larger license combination
Python-2.0.1. So if Python-2.0.1 is considered an open source license,
so will PSF-2.0 and CNRI-Python-GPL-Compatible be.


I felt the need to submit these license for review reading the
discussions about the licensing of the NPM package argparse, which is
ported from Python. The maintainer rightfully looks at which licenses
are OSI-approved, and then it is concerning that the current license of
Python Python-2.0.1 has not been reviewed, creating an unnecessary
dilemma between choosing the license that better reflects reality or
the license that is actually OSI-approved. By reviewing the other
Python-variants, it becomes clear that all these licenses are actually
open source licenses.
In order to improve the situation around these licenses, I also
requested the SPDX project to include the FSF review of these licenses:
https://github.com/spdx/license-list-XML/issues/3073
I hope that after this review process we can tick the OSI-Approved
boxes on these licenses too.


For reference, the FSF considers Python-2.0.1 license a free software
license. Thus by extension also considers licenses PSF-2.0 and CNRI-
Python-GPL-Compatible free software licenses, as these separate
licenses are included in the Python-2.0.1 license.
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#Python

In Fedora project the Python-2.0.1 and PSF-2.0 have been placed on the
allowed license list. CNRI-Python-GPL-Compatible hasn't been reviewed
https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/legal/allowed-licenses/

Debian also lists the Python-2.0.1 license as included in Debian and
thus meeting the Debian Free Software Guidelines
https://www.debian.org/legal/licenses/

Given all the reviews by others, I don't consider it necessary to add a
statement of my own how I see the license meet OSI requirements. To be
honest, I was surprised that the license review process asks of
submitters, of which no legal expertise can be expected, to
'Affirmatively state that the license complies with the Open Source
Definition, including specifically affirming it meets OSD 3, 5, 6 and
9.' If I still have to do so, I'd happily add that in a reply.


I couldn't find information about the categories/tags, as it isn't
linked on the review process page and isn't explained on the license
page. Through search I did find the old page
https://opensource.org/licenses-old/category which does have
explanations, so I'm going by these categories.

Non-reusable: Python-2.0.1, CNRI-Python-GPL-Compatible
Redundant: PSF-2.0

Python-2.0 and CNRI-Python are also listed as non-reusable.
I consider PSF-2.0 a license to consider for compatibility in the
Python ecosystem, but not something to recommend to new projects.

Projects with these licenses:
Python-2.0.1: Python
CNRI-Python-GPL-Compatible: Python (included in Python-2.0.1)
PSF-2.0: Matplotlib


In general I'd hope that OSI will over time review all licenses with an
SPDX identifier for clarity.

Thank you all for your work for the FOSS ecosystem!

Looking forward to your review.

Kind regards,
Nico Rikken
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