# license

Published: 13 August 2020, 18:00

Python provides 2 useless but interesting built-in functions: `copyright` and `license`. `copyright` gives a short overview who owned Python in different moments of history:

```python
>>> copyright()
Copyright (c) 2001-2020 Python Software Foundation.
All Rights Reserved.

Copyright (c) 2000 BeOpen.com.
All Rights Reserved.

Copyright (c) 1995-2001 Corporation for National Research Initiatives.
All Rights Reserved.

Copyright (c) 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam.
All Rights Reserved.
```

An `license` gives not only all Python licenses but also an interesting reading about Python history:

```python
>>> license()
A. HISTORY OF THE SOFTWARE
==========================

Python was created in the early 1990s by Guido van Rossum at Stichting
Mathematisch Centrum (CWI, see http://www.cwi.nl) in the Netherlands
as a successor of a language called ABC.  Guido remains Python's
principal author, although it includes many contributions from others.

...
```