Home Original page

using the PSF license for one's code

Donnal Walter donnal at donnal.net
Wed Nov 6 21:29:13 EST 2002 
"Anton Vredegoor" :
> To me it isn't that simple. From my perspective
> the GPL is using the same kind of "weapons" to
> defend it's followers against the "evil"
> closed sourcerers.

> Using the same kind of weapons as the enemy risks
> becoming oneself that what is feared. I think this is
> meant by "not resisting evil" and "turning the other
> cheek" and such ideas as one can find in the old books.

As the OP, I did not intend to start yet another flame war regarding
the merits and/or evils of "copyleft". I was merely puzzled by the
fact that the Python License is on the list of acceptable licenses one
can choose for a SourceForge project, but I couldn't figure out how I
could use the PSF License without modification. Martin confirmed the
fact that I can't. It appears, then, that a number of developers
simply use "Python License" as a well-understood synonym for BSD-style
license, which is fine with me. But I figure I might as well say what
I mean, so my options are GPL or BSD, the relative merits
notwithstanding.

Having said this, I see both as valid options in my situation. I am
working on two different kinds of projects. The first project is to
develop a kind of toolset and notation for building custom clinical
applications. I had planned to use the PSF License and now plan to use
the BSD license for this project, as I want to encourage its
widespread use by not using a restrictive license. I only hope that
*some* of its users give me valuable feedback about how to make the
toolset better. If other users want to use the toolset for other
purposes, I only ask that not hold me liable if it doesn't work as
they expected, etc.

The other project, however, involves using this toolset/notation to
build a set of clinical applications for newborn intensive care. In
this case, I truly do want to be restrictive. If others derive
products from this project, I want the derived products to be open
source as well. In saying this, I don't view myself as being hateful
or vindictive or as fighting evil. I simply want to encourage
individuals and companies who build on these applications to give
their products back to the pediatric community. So, for the second
project, I am strongly inclined toward GPL.

Donnal Walter, M.D., Ph.D.
Arkansas Children's Hospital
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
More information about the Python-list mailing list