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

[Phil Thompson]

On Friday 24 November 2006 10:36 pm, Simon Edwards wrote:
> 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.

That makes no sense at all. You're saying that the situation that the 
agreement covers is if Trolltech continues to develop the commercial version 
but stops developing the GPL version. Which means that the position of 
the "free" community doesn't significantly change, but the commercial 
community now have the choice of continuing to pay license fees or taking a 
chance with the free BSD fork.

As I see it, the only group with any possible concern is the commercial users 
who have the same issues with any proprietary package they use.

Phil