dynamically generating temporary files through python/cgi
Is there a way to dynamically generate temporary files (such as an html, xml or text file) in Python? I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself clearly as I've no clue how to describe this mechanism. I've seen it on certain websites that will generate a file under certain parameters (through forms) that will dissapear (i.e. delete itself) after a specified amount of time. These files usually have some phony string for their filenames...like it's been md5 hashed or something. Is there a group of library functions that allow this? I imagine that if i manually go and allocate a bunch of timers to monitor files, it would be really expensive in load. Or perhaps is this a client-side mechanism? Thanks, - poisondart -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Software licenses and releasing Python programs for review
Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right group to post this. If not, then I would appreciate if somebody could point me to the correct group. This is my first time releasing software to the public and I'm wanting to release a Python program I wrote for review (and critique) and testing on other platforms, but also I would like to explore the different software licenses that are available (there seems to be many). Since the specification for the programs is knowledge-centric (related to linguistics), I need a group of people that are knowledgeable in this area. Is there a place where I can advertise to look for people who are knowledgeable in Python and linguistics? Ultimately I desire two things from the license (but not limited to): - being able to distribute it freely, anybody can modify it - nobody is allowed to make profit from my code (other than myself) What is the methodology that people employ to releasing software? Thank you. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Software licenses and releasing Python programs for review
Thanks for the replies. They have been very helpful. I'll have to read through the licenses you've listed in more detail, but the creative commons license of which James William Pye mentions seems to be what I'll be using. The reason why I need people to review my code and also the ideas behind the code is mostly for academic interest...but not necessarily reserved to an academic audience...which is why I don't want people to make profit from it. It uses ideas from a language--which would be ridiculous (to me) for anybody to make profit from selling the mechanics of a natural language. The NLTK mailing list seems to be what I was looking for...I'll start checking that out. Thanks for the link. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Software licenses and releasing Python programs for review
With the exception of the example with neighbour Bobby (which directly utilizes my code for profit, in which case is a definite no), I don't see why your other examples should make me reconsider releasing my software for free--in all the cases you've described, the answer should be no. You publish a magazine and include a CD with my code--you are using my code to attract readers (this, I did not agree to). The example with colleague Betty does not say whether she has debugged my code and sold it for profit. If she does, then she will have done something very selfish in my view--also undesirable. If she hasn't debugged my code...what is she doing selling my property? The competitor Barney--This is exactly what I _don't_ want. What's he doing selling my code? Business partner Billy is using a scheme similar to the magazine publisher example. I plan to release my programs for academic and pedagogical purposes. The knowledge contained in these programs is the same knowledge that people use to speak a language--did you buy a copy of the English language when you decided to learn it? This is why I feel that it would not make sense for me to sell my programs for profit. Thanks, -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Software licenses and releasing Python programs for review
> I'm a little curious about your position. > > Though code encodes knowledge (hence the word, of course :-), the > system of concepts embodied in your code is not the same thing as the > code itself. Right? > > So, firstly, I don't follow your argument there: how does it follow > from the fact that scientific and mathematical knowledge should not be > treated by the law as - in some sense - property (a moot point of > course, though I lean towards your view) that it doesn't 'make sense' > (scare quotes because I'm not sure of your precise meaning) to sell > your software for profit? Hi, I view my situation from the point of view of a teacher. That is, to allude to a proverb, I'm trying to teach a person how to fish. I did not invent the knowledge of fishing and selling this knowledge is not what I want to do. I believe that I am putting this knowledge into a form which I deem learnable for the student. > > Secondly, do you think it's a bad thing for anybody to sell software > that makes use of the *concepts* in your code (provided that the use > of those concepts is not restricted by financial or other legal > means)? If so, why? > > > John To be honest. I'm not sure. The knowledge that I learnt was all given to me freely, I just consolidated it into these programs. I feel that it would be unfair that along this chain of knowledge passing, one person decided to exploit the free system and harbour his knowledge for profit. (Please read the next thread...) -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Software licenses and releasing Python programs for review
If this thread has shown anything it is I'm a bit green with respect to software licenses, but the other thing is that I consider myself as an isolated case and I wanted to know if there were others who wanted the same thing as me. I'm curious to know what the money that open source or GPL'd projects get and what this money means to these people's overall income. I am sure that any amount would motivate somebody to continue their work on a project, but myself in particular, I consider my project to be a tool for teaching and I view teaching as helping others...which I would gladly offer without price. I wanted to see if there were others who shared my view of helping others freely with their knowledge. Yes, what I ask may seem ridiculous, but I don't view it that way. Instead, I find that it is the implication of using a restrictive license such as I described to be ridiculous: if there is no monetary gain option in the license, then this implies that nobody (or very few) will be willing to do any work or "asking for something for nothing". It isn't for nothing if you value knowledge and learning. I admit that my view is a bit idealistic which leads me to believe that maybe I should reconsider the whole decision altogether. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: PSP / mod_python ... how to get POST vars on .psp ?
Would something like cgi.FieldStorage() be what you're looking for? form = cgi.FieldStorage() form[ ] = http://www.python.org/doc/2.3.5/lib/node406.html -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Re: Software licenses and releasing Python programs for review
1. You seem to ignore the fact that volunteer teachers exist. 2. I aspire to not repeat history. Esp. history that I don't completely agree with... The description I supplied for the license I had in mind was not ready for your scrutiny, but as somebody else said licensing is less trivial than we would like it to be. In practice, the GPL would probably be the closest to what I'd want, but the problem is that I don't agree with the practice. Why? because it's not tailored to how I want to release my software. This discussion has gone far out of my interest. Thank you all you've made me realize the complexity and breadth of the issue. I'm just going to keep coding and re-think cautiously the future of my software. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
