Subject: PyCrypto license clarification

From: "Dwayne C. Litzenberger" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 22:49:14 -0400

Hi Joris,

I am the new maintainer of the Python Cryptography Toolkit, and I am
working on a new release at http://www.pycrypto.org/.

People often ask me what license PyCrypto is covered by, if it's
GPL-compatible, etc.  Right now, I'm not really sure what to tell them.
The text in the current LICENSE file (quoted below) is not entirely clear
on the point of whether distributing modified versions is allowed.  (It
says "distribute and use", but not "modify".)

  ===================================================================
  Distribute and use freely; there are no restrictions on further
  dissemination and usage except those imposed by the laws of your
  country of residence.  This software is provided "as is" without
  warranty of fitness for use or suitability for any purpose, express
  or implied. Use at your own risk or not at all.
  ===================================================================

  Incorporating the code into commercial products is permitted; you do
  not have to make source available or contribute your changes back
  (though that would be nice).

  --amk                                                    (www.amk.ca)

For the next PyCrypto release, I would like to take steps to move toward a
clearer licensing regime.  I am asking as many copyright holders as I can
find if I can release PyCrypto under something clearer and more standard.
Below, I have quoted a public domain dedication that was recommended in
_Intellectual Property and Open Source: A Practical Guide to Protecting
Code_, by Van Lindberg.  I have already contacted A. M. Kuchling, Robey
Pointer, Barry Warsaw, Wim Lewis, Jeethu Rao, and Mark Moraes, and they
have all approved the following dedication for their contributions.

I understand that you have made contributions to PyCrypto.  May I, on your
behalf, dedicate to the public domain all your contributions to PyCrypto,
with the following notice?

  =======================================================================
  The contents of this file are dedicated to the public domain.  To the
  extent that dedication to the public domain is not available, everyone
  is granted a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license
  to exercise all rights associated with the contents of this file for
  any purpose whatsoever.  No rights are reserved.
  =======================================================================

Regards,
 - Dwayne

--
Dwayne C. Litzenberger <[email-masked]>
  Key-signing key   - 19E1 1FE8 B3CF F273 ED17  4A24 928C EC13 39C2 5CF7

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 05 May 2009 09:08:25 +0200

Hi Dwayne,

Thanks for taking over the PyCrypto library and putting in the required 
effort to keep this going.
I was very excited to read that it is now one of the installed 
libraries for Google AppsEngine!

You have my full permission to dedicate all my contributions to 
PyCrypto to the public domain with your suggested notice:
=======================================================================
The contents of this file are dedicated to the public domain.  To the
extent that dedication to the public domain is not available, everyone
is granted a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license
to exercise all rights associated with the contents of this file for
any purpose whatsoever.  No rights are reserved.
=======================================================================

Regards,
Joris

---

From: "Dwayne C. Litzenberger" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 17:53:47 -0400

Excellent!  Thank you!

On Tue, May 05, 2009 at 09:08:25AM +0200, [email-masked] wrote:
> I was very excited to read that it is now one of the installed libraries 
> for Google AppsEngine!
>
> You have my full permission to dedicate all my contributions to PyCrypto to 
> the public domain with your suggested notice:

-- 
Dwayne C. Litzenberger <[email-masked]>
  Key-signing key   - 19E1 1FE8 B3CF F273 ED17  4A24 928C EC13 39C2 5CF7
  Annual key (2008) - 4B2A FD82 FC7D 9E38 38D9  179F 1C11 B877 E780 4B45