From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.2 (2018-09-13) on dcvr.yhbt.net X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-ASN: AS22989 209.51.188.0/24 X-Spam-Status: No, score=-3.7 required=3.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_MED,RCVD_IN_MSPIKE_H4, RCVD_IN_MSPIKE_WL,SPF_HELO_PASS,SPF_PASS shortcircuit=no autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.2 Received: from lists.gnu.org (lists.gnu.org [209.51.188.17]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384 (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by dcvr.yhbt.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id C6EA01F5AE for ; Wed, 16 Jun 2021 11:31:33 +0000 (UTC) Received: from localhost ([::1]:51730 helo=lists1p.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1ltTlc-0003NK-K2 for normalperson@yhbt.net; Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:31:32 -0400 Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:470:142:3::10]:44738) by lists.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256) (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1ltTlW-0003N8-9S for bug-gnulib@gnu.org; Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:31:26 -0400 Received: from fencepost.gnu.org ([2001:470:142:3::e]:37236) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1ltTlV-00076k-Qx; Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:31:25 -0400 Received: from 84.94.185.95.cable.012.net.il ([84.94.185.95]:1585 helo=home-c4e4a596f7) by fencepost.gnu.org with esmtpsa (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256) (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1ltTlU-0003eH-Th; Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:31:25 -0400 Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2021 14:31:25 +0300 Message-Id: <83mtrq2ghe.fsf@gnu.org> From: Eli Zaretskii To: psmith@gnu.org In-Reply-To: <5ac569a3c976caf3658e652fea843dc9dc69f76a.camel@gnu.org> (message from Paul Smith on Tue, 15 Jun 2021 12:32:35 -0400) Subject: Re: Seeking input from developers: glibc copyright assignment policy. References: <9b5fff12-c16f-799f-6178-000b2e667d24@cs.ucla.edu> <20210615120307.uob7puryy2z3yqjp@redhat.com> <5ac569a3c976caf3658e652fea843dc9dc69f76a.camel@gnu.org> X-BeenThere: bug-gnulib@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.23 Precedence: list List-Id: Gnulib discussion list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: bug-gnulib@gnu.org Errors-To: bug-gnulib-bounces+normalperson=yhbt.net@gnu.org Sender: "bug-gnulib" > From: Paul Smith > Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2021 12:32:35 -0400 > > On Tue, 2021-06-15 at 07:03 -0500, Eric Blake wrote: > > I recall how long it took for me to get permission to sign assignment > > papers from my previous employer, for work I was doing in my spare > > time, and being able to use the DCO instead would have made my > > efforts easier at that time. > > This is what concerns me (not necessarily in Eric's case per se but in > general). I worry that people think that a DCO is a hassle-free > replacement for an employer's copyright assignment. Maybe, in some > jurisdictions, it even can be. In addition to what Paul Smith and Bruno Haible wrote, there is IMO one other important aspect to be considered, which is specific to Gnulib. Unlike GCC, glibc, and many other projects, which are basically separate, and therefore their decisions in this matter affect only them and their users, Gnulib is different. Gnulib is not a separate project, it is in effect a collection of library functions from which dozens of other GNU projects borrow code for their distributions. Thus, any changes in this matter that Gnulib developers decide upon will affect all those "client" projects as well. For example, Emacs imports more than 200 source files from Gnulib, and distributes them as part of its release tarballs and in its Git repository. If Gnulib folks decide that they can accept contributions under DCO, does it mean Emacs will be unable to change its license to GPL of version greater than 3? Does it mean Emacs will bear part of the risk of distributing sources whose DCO is invalid (for reasons described by Paul Smith)? (And it doesn't help that some/much of the Gnulib code is taken from glibc, which will probably decide to follow GCC's example.) Given these aspects, I submit that Gnulib developers shouldn't make these kinds of decisions without consulting with other GNU projects.