Can Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package be freely redistributed

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+2 Q:

Can Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package be freely redistributed

I am planning to use py2exe to make an application developped with Python 2.6.

It seems that my app need the VC redistribuables : http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/Tutorial#Step5

I've read this tutorial and the redistribuables license agreement and I am not sure if I can freely redistribute these files with my program. (I don't have VS2008 license)

Can I bundle the redistribs into an installer and make the installation transparent for the user or do they have to download the files by their own from Microsoft website?

Thanks in advance

+2 A:

I think you should be fine if you simply include the installation of vcredist_x86.exe into your installation procedure (according to the document you linked to):

Either you can instruct your users to download and run this themselves, or you could create an installer for your application (see Step 6 below), that includes vcredist_x86.exe (which is itself redistributable by anyone), and then run that as part of your application installation

Mind you that I'm not a lawyer and thus this is not legal advice.

ChristopheD 2010-04-15 08:43:19

Thanks for this advice. You pointed out the right piece of info: "vcredist_x86.exe (which is itself redistributable by anyone)". I didn't see that in the vcredist license but I am not a lawyer too :)

luc 2010-04-15 08:49:16

This is not legalese, though, but english. YOu CAN bundle the setup with your own files (and if you are observing when installing software - a LOT of installers do just that). YOu just can not MODIFY the installers.

TomTom 2010-04-15 08:51:31

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Can Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package be freely redistributed

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