Python License facts for kids
| Author | Corporation for National Research Initiatives |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.11 and newer |
| Free software | Yes |
| OSI approved | Yes |
| GPL compatible | Some versions |
| Copyleft | No |
The Python License was an old set of rules for computer programs. It was like a permission slip for people to use and share the Python programming language. This license was created by a group called the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI).
This license was used for Python versions 1.6 and 2.0, which both came out in the year 2000. The Python License was similar to another license called the BSD License. Even though it was a free software license, some parts of it made it hard to use with another very common set of rules called the GNU General Public License (GPL). Many free computer programs, like the main part of the Linux kernel, use the GPL. Because of this, CNRI stopped using the Python License in 2001. Today, newer versions of Python use a different license called the Python Software Foundation License.
What Was the Python License?
The Python License was a special kind of permissive license. This means it gave people a lot of freedom to use, change, and share the Python computer code. It was designed to let many people work with and improve the Python language.
How Python Got Its License
Python was first created by a person named Guido van Rossum. When he first made Python, the copyright (the legal ownership) belonged to his employer, a research center called the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI). Back then, Python was shared using a license that worked well with the GPL.
Later, Guido van Rossum started working for CNRI. When he moved, CNRI took over the ownership of Python. After a few years, CNRI wrote the new Python License for the language.
Why the License Changed
The Python License had a rule that said it was controlled by the laws of the State of Virginia, United States. The main reason the Python License was stopped was because it didn't work well with the GPL. This made it difficult for developers to combine Python code with other free software that used the GPL.
To fix this, a new license was created: the Python Software Foundation License. For example, Python version 1.6.1 is almost the same as 1.6, but it has new license terms that make it work with the GPL. This change made it much easier for Python to be used with other free software projects.
See also
In Spanish: Licencia Python para niños
