[PyKDE] Re: Plans for Python bindings in KDE 4

[Simon Edwards]

On Friday 24 November 2006 19:04, Phil Thompson wrote:
> On Friday 24 November 2006 5:37 pm, Simon Edwards wrote:
> > On Wednesday 15 November 2006 21:12, Simon Edwards wrote:
> > > Background
> > > ~~~~~~~~~~
> > > The Python bindings consist of a couple of parts. The binding tool SIP
> > > which is used to help generate the binding C++ code, PyQt, Python/Qt
> > > bindings which
> > > use SIP. Both are produced by Phil Thompson at Riverbank Computing[1] in
> > > the UK, and are available under the GPL or via a commercial closed
> > > source license
> > > which can be bought. This model is similar to Trolltech's of course.
> > > SIP/PyQt
> > > has been available and in commercial use since 1998 and support the same
> > > platforms as Qt itself.
> >
> > Sebas was asking if there is an agreement with Riverbank like the one
> > between the FreeQt foundation and Trolltech. i.e. what happens to SIP and
> > PyQt if Riverbank go out of business. Currently there is no such agreement
> > in place if Riverbank disappears. We could try organising one if people
> > feel that it is necessary.
> >
> > And also just to be clear, there are no plans to keep a copy of SIP or
> > PyQt 
> > in KDE SVN like what has been done during in KDE 3.
> Didn't that agreement pre-date the GPL version of Qt? I don't see what the 
> purpose of such an agreement would be given the code is available under the 
> GPL.

That agreement does pre-date the GPL version, and is still in effect and 
relevant. It was updated in May 2004 incidentally. What the agreement 
basically says is that if Trolltech stop releasing the Free Edition (=>GPL 
version) of Qt for more than 12 months, then the last version becomes BSD 
licensed. The effect of this is that companies will always be able to build 
non-GPL software on top of Qt and KDE[1] either by buying a Qt license from 
Trolltech, or using the BSD version.

[1] KDE's libraries are LGPL.

cheers,

-- 
Simon Edwards             | KDE-NL, Guidance tools, Guarddog Firewall
simon at simonzone.com       | http://www.simonzone.com/software/
Nijmegen, The Netherlands | "ZooTV? You made the right choice."