[smnrchrds]

In Python 2.x there was a module for Berkley DB which is removed in Python 3 (bsddb module). I'm curious that since Berkley DB has always had a strong copyright license and it was not PSFL, how things worked legally. There is no mention in the docs[1] that if you use an import bsddb in your code you have to make it open-source. When they decided to remove it there was no mention of the license, just difficulty of maintenance[2].

So, was it possible to use Berkley DB without releasing your code as open-source before this change or was it because no one thought it was necessary to mention it in the docs?

[1] http://docs.python.org/2/library/bsddb.html [2] http://jessenoller.com/2008/09/04/stirred-up-dem-bees-should...

[toyg]

I thought bsddb was not actually shipped with CPython, and had to be manually built (which was a pain and would invariably fail, IIRC). I guess people were supposed to check source docs.

[smnrchrds]

No, not really. This is what happens in my normal Python installation in Windows:

    Python 2.7.5 (default, May 15 2013, 22:43:36) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win 32
    Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
    >>> from bsddb import db
    >>> print db.DB_VERSION_STRING
    Berkeley DB 4.7.25: (May 15, 2008)
    >>>

And this[1] works completely. Just replace bsddb3 with bsddb.

[1] http://code.activestate.com/recipes/189060-using-berkeley-db...

[justincormack]

It was only possible if you bought a commercial license from Oracle. You do check licenses for everything you import don't you - you should!

[smnrchrds]

I check the license for everything I install. And I always thought the whole Python installation was under PSFL.