Herbert, There are at least three Python license variants I am aware of, and at least two from CNRI, so the concept "Python License" is pretty much shot. The variant upon which the PyMOL license is based is the Python 1.52 license (the *original* CNRI license), which is essentially equivalent to BSD, but slightly less explicit. Here is the text of the permissions grant from the current PyMOL LICENSE file in the Subversion repository: Open-Source PyMOL Copyright Notice ================================== The Open-Source PyMOL source code is copyrighted, but you can freely use and copy it as long as you don't change or remove any of the Copyright notices. The Open-Source PyMOL product is made available under the following open-source license terms: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Open-Source PyMOL is Copyright (C) 1998-2003 Warren L. DeLano and Copyright (C) 2003-2007 DeLano Scientific LLC, Palo Alto, California, U.S.A., (www.delanoscientific.com). All Rights Reserved Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and distribute modified versions of this software and its built-in documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appears in all copies and that both the copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the names of Warren L. DeLano or DeLano Scientific LLC not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission. WARREN LYFORD DELANO AND DELANO SCIENTIFIC LLC DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL WARREN LYFORD DELANO OR DELANO SCIENTIFIC LLC BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --- For comparison, here is a copy of the "new" BSD license template from open-source.org: Copyright (c) <YEAR>, <OWNER> All rights reserved. Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. Neither the name of the <ORGANIZATION> nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. --- And for historical comparison, here is the Python 1.5.2 license: Copyright notice ================ The Python source is copyrighted, but you can freely use and copy it as long as you don't change or remove the copyright notice: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1991-1995 by Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. All Rights Reserved Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the names of Stichting Mathematisch Centrum or CWI or Corporation for National Research Initiatives or CNRI not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission. While CWI is the initial source for this software, a modified version is made available by the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) at the Internet address ftp://ftp.python.org. STICHTING MATHEMATISCH CENTRUM AND CNRI DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL STICHTING MATHEMATISCH CENTRUM OR CNRI BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Unfortunately, SourceForge does not provide any way of distinguishing between the old and new CNRI Python licenses in trove categorization. The other complicating factor with PyMOL is that our precompiled builds (only) are made available under different license terms (more restrictive) than the open-source code (e.g. FREE builds for students, PAID builds for companies, and so forth). And for the record, these are not redistributed from SourceForge. Regardless, compiled builds others prepare can be released under whatever terms they choose, provided that they remain compliant with the PyMOL open-source license terms (which basically boil down to retaining copyrights and credits). Cheers, Warren ---- Message: 2 Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 17:49:32 -0400 From: "Herbert J. Bernstein" <yaya at bernstein-plus-sons.com> Subject: [Molvis-list] PyMol License To: "Molecular Visualization, especially in education with freeware" <molvis-list at bioinformatics.org> Message-ID: <a06230900c280fc1699b8@[192.168.2.100]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Dear Warren, Could you clarify the PyMol license conditions? Your recent message said "unrestricted BSD open source ...", but the sourceforge site says "Python License (CNRI Python License)". The actual LICENSE file in the source kit certainly looks BSD-ish. You may wish to update the sourceforge license info to avoid confusion. Thanks. Regards, Herbert At 11:43 AM -0700 5/28/07, Warren DeLano wrote: ... > >With respect to academic use, the source code is unrestricted BSD >open-source. This means that developers, scientists, and teachers can >create and redistribute their own derivative works that rely upon or >encapsulate PyMOL source code, without being encumbered by draconian >GPL-like conditions, provided that the appropriate PyMOL copyright >notices are preserved. >