Python with non-GPL readline functionality

[B K]

Hi,

I'm considering using FreeBSD for the first time in my software
development work because I've spent days trying to get a Python that
is not linked to the GPL-licensed Readline to build with the other
libraries it must be compatible with, such as wxPython, on Ubuntu. The
default configuration of these libraries, which includes Readline for
Python, works just fine. I've concluded that changing the
configuration of source packages, even of popular libraries like
these, is often going to require a lot of research and learning about
the build process and will sometimes fail because the code itself has
only been debugged for the default configuration.

So, does FreeBSD ship with Python linked to something other than
Readline? (In other words, will I have to modify it and build it from
source?) Is the learning curve for someone new to the BSDs going to be
steep?

Thanks for your advice.

B.

[Michel Talon]

B K <develop...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm considering using FreeBSD for the first time in my software
> development work because I've spent days trying to get a Python that
> is not linked to the GPL-licensed Readline to build with the other
> libraries it must be compatible with, such as wxPython, on Ubuntu. The

what you don't say is that wxwidgets is under a special licence which is
more liberal than GPL.

> default configuration of these libraries, which includes Readline for
> Python, works just fine. I've concluded that changing the

It is exactly the same in FreeBSD, the defaults options don't mess
with removing readline dependance. You have to work yourself withe the
source of pythoin for doing that, and the work will be very similar
be it on Debian or FreeBSD.

> configuration of source packages, even of popular libraries like
> these, is often going to require a lot of research and learning about
> the build process and will sometimes fail because the code itself has
> only been debugged for the default configuration.

As you are saying, if you want to do non standard thing you are on your
own, and you have to do some work. I have checked on python source code,
there is no flag to disable readline. Probably it is discovered
automatically, and you have juste to remove it from the
building machine. Anyways the configure script is full of code snippets
for discovering readline.

--

Michel TALON