How to handle license files in cx_freeze'd python applications

Question

So I have a python application which uses different packages, which are licensed under different OpenSource Licenses.(MIT, LGPL, GPL, and other OSS licenses)

I want to create a bundle for Windows using cx_freeze, which packs all of the packages and respective DLLs into a single folder which can be shipped.

As some of the packages (namely poppler) are GPL, I have to put my application under GPL as well, right? I assume, using the DLL and python wheels is considered as linking in that regard.

But what is now the correct way to handle all the other licenses in the shipped file?

• Must I include the license statement of every library in the bundle?
• Would it be sufficient to only have the license files in the public repo?
• Do I have to mention the licenses in my (GUI) application as well?

Answer 1

You must comply with the licenses of all the software that you distribute.

Must I include the license statement of every library in the bundle?

Yes, if that is required by a license in your bundle. Most open source licenses including MIT, LGPL, GPL require this.

Would it be sufficient to only have the license files in the public repo?

No, most licenses require that the notices are included with every copy of the software, i.e. directly together with your bundle.

However, the GPL offers various mechanisms for providing the corresponding source code to recipients. In general, offering the source code for download free of charge from some server (e.g. a public code repository) would likely be fine.

Do I have to mention the licenses in my (GUI) application as well?

This depends on the license. My opinion is that this is the right thing to do, regardless of what the license says. In particular, you should mention the open source licenses in any place where you assert your copyright, since you are not the sole copyright holder of the application.

Certain licenses such as Apache-2 and GPL-3.0 have explicit requires to show some notices in the user interface, but the details depend on the license. E.g. the vanilla GPL does not require you to add such notices to a user interface, but you have to preserve existing appropriate legal notices, and you may be required to add notices under the GPL's additional terms mechanism. If you combine GPL-3.0 covered software with Apache-2 covered software, you would effectively have such an additional term.