Licence confusion: distributing MSVC?71.DLL

[Tom Wright]

Hi

I've written a program in Python using wxPython and Matplotlib and would
like to distribute it under the GPL. For ease of use, I'd also like to
distribute and installable version for Windows, but this needs MSVCR71.dll
and MSVCP71.dll to work. I've created an installer using py2exe and Inno
Setup but I don't know if I'm allowed to distribute it or not. I've found
lots of conflicting opinions online indicating that I can or cannot
distribute these, but no definitive answer.

The Microsoft Developer Network instructs me to read the redistribution
instructions and the EULA which come with Visual Studio, but I don't have
visual studio, so that's next to useless.

If someone has worked their way through this maze before and has an answer,
I'd be keen to hear it. Failing that, if you have Visual Studio and it's
not a violation of the licence terms to post the licence and redistribution
instructions here, could you possibly do so and I'll see if I can work out
what's allowed.

Thanks!

 

[Tom Wright]

If someone has worked their way through this maze before and has an
answer, I'd be keen to hear it.

Hmm, an answer of sorts: Inkscape's Windows build comes with MSVCR70.dll and
MSVCR71.dll (but not MSVCP71.dll). As it's a big and high-profile project
distributed under GPL2, I think they must've done their homework. Let's
hope I'm ok in slightly different circumstances: distributing MSVCP71.dll
as well, and under GPL3.

 

[Gabriel Genellina]

I've written a program in Python using wxPython and Matplotlib and would
like to distribute it under the GPL. For ease of use, I'd also like to
distribute and installable version for Windows, but this needs
MSVCR71.dll
and MSVCP71.dll to work. I've created an installer using py2exe and Inno
Setup but I don't know if I'm allowed to distribute it or not. I've
found
lots of conflicting opinions online indicating that I can or cannot
distribute these, but no definitive answer.

Maybe this thread
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/f8df5ed32b324a3f/
can help.

The Microsoft Developer Network instructs me to read the redistribution
instructions and the EULA which come with Visual Studio, but I don't have
visual studio, so that's next to useless.

This EULA doesn't apply to you, but to the Python developers, which are
the actual Visual Studio users and have to comply with its license terms.
You're just repackaging Python, your program, and other required
components.
In any case, I don't think MS cares; after all, you're promoting their OS
and making life easier for Windows users.

 

[Tom Wright]

Maybe this thread
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/f8df5ed32b324a3f/
can help.

This EULA doesn't apply to you, but to the Python developers, which are
the actual Visual Studio users and have to comply with its license terms.
You're just repackaging Python, your program, and other required
components.
In any case, I don't think MS cares; after all, you're promoting their OS
and making life easier for Windows users.

Many thanks - that does indeed answer it. I'd not been able to find the
EULA, but the bits quoted from it in the above discussion do answer the
question.

 

[jim-on-linux]

This is what someone wrote on 1-21-2007
to this help site about this pain in the a...
MSVCR71 stuff.

" I believe this problem doesn't exist.
Licensees of Python are permitted
to redistribute mscvr71.dll, as long as they
redistribute it in order
to support pythonxy.dll. The EULA says

# You also agree not to permit further
distribution of the
# Redistributables by your end users except
you may permit further
# redistribution of the Redistributables by
your distributors to your
# end-user customers if your distributors
only distribute the
# Redistributables in conjunction with, and
as part of, the Licensee
# Software, you comply with all other terms
of this EULA, and your
# distributors comply with all restrictions
of this EULA that are
# applicable to you.

In this text, "you" is the licensee of VS
2003 (i.e. me, redistributing
msvcr71.dll as part of Python 2.5), and the
"Redistributable" is
msvcr71.dll. The "Licensee Software" is "a
software application product
developed by you that adds significant and
primary functionality to the
Redistributables", i.e. python25.dll.

IANAL; this is not legal advise."


jim-on-linux
http://www.inqvista.com

 

[Tom Wright]

This is what someone wrote on 1-21-2007
to this help site about this pain in the a...
MSVCR71 stuff.

" I believe this problem doesn't exist.
(snip useful bit of EULA and explanation)

Thanks for that - just what I didn't manage to turn up with Google. I'll go
ahead and publish then