Re: [patch] copyright notice correction on libiberty/make-relative-prefix.c (current notice grants no rights)

Re: [patch] copyright notice correction on libiberty/make-relative-prefix.c (current notice grants no rights)

[Nathanael Nerode]

DJ Delorie wrote:
>>I'll put in whatever internally consistent version is believed to be
>>most legally correct.
> 
> 
> Note that copyright/license changes are NEVER obvious.  Do not check
> in any such changes without explicit approval.
I won't.

I believe that there was no correct explicit approval of the original 
change (at file creation) to a non-license which doesn't apply to the 
file. :-(

I'd love it if *someone* could approve *something* which is correct, 
since otherwise I'm quite sure we shouldn't distribute this file.

--Nathanael

Re: [patch] copyright notice correction on libiberty/make-relative-prefix.c (current notice grants no rights)

[DJ Delorie]

> I'd love it if *someone* could approve *something* which is correct, 
> since otherwise I'm quite sure we shouldn't distribute this file.

I think your concerns are exaggerated, since "can't" would mean the
copyright holder complained, and I don't see that happening in this
case.

Fixing the copyright "mess" is a good goal, but I suspect it will be a
long and messy change.  I think the right starting point is to write
up a summary of the problem and proposed changes, and find out who at
the FSF is the right person to discuss this with.  After we agree on a
course of action, we'll probably have to research each and every file
to make sure we do the right thing.

Re: [patch] copyright notice correction on libiberty/make-relative-prefix.c (current notice grants no rights)

[Nathanael Nerode]

DJ Delorie wrote:
> Fixing the copyright "mess" is a good goal, but I suspect it will be a
> long and messy change.  I think the right starting point is to write
> up a summary of the problem and proposed changes,
I'll do that. :-)  At least, I'll make drafts and circulate them for 
improvement until we reach consensus.

> and find out who at
> the FSF is the right person to discuss this with.
I'm not sure I'm up to this. :-(

> After we agree on a
> course of action, we'll probably have to research each and every file
> to make sure we do the right thing.
That I can also do some of.

--Nathanael

Re: [patch] copyright notice correction on libiberty/make-relative-prefix.c (current notice grants no rights)

[Joe Buck]

On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 02:08:24PM -0400, Nathanael Nerode wrote:
> DJ Delorie wrote:
> > Fixing the copyright "mess" is a good goal, but I suspect it will be a
> > long and messy change.  I think the right starting point is to write
> > up a summary of the problem and proposed changes,
> I'll do that. :-)  At least, I'll make drafts and circulate them for 
> improvement until we reach consensus.
> 
> > and find out who at
> > the FSF is the right person to discuss this with.
> I'm not sure I'm up to this. :-(

If we need to change any licenses, the GCC steering committee list
is the right forum; RMS is a member.  That is, the way we work this is
that the SC asks RMS for permission to change the licenses and RMS
agrees or disagrees.  There are several cases:

a) files with no copyright notices, but known to belong to the FSF
   (this would include anything first developed at Cygnus, because
   of the blanket assignment).  These are generally easy cases, as
   RMS will immediately agree to choose the same license as the library
   they belong to.

b) requests to loosen licenses.  RMS will want a good justification,
   and may think for a while about it

c) files that the FSF doesn't own; we and RMS have no authority to
   change licenses.

I could bring it up, but I would need a precise indication of which files
need to change and what the recommendation is.
 
> > After we agree on a
> > course of action, we'll probably have to research each and every file
> > to make sure we do the right thing.
> That I can also do some of.

Good.
 

Re: [patch] copyright notice correction on libiberty/make-relative-prefix.c (current notice grants no rights)

[Michael S. Zick]

On Tuesday 27 May 2003 01:08 pm, Nathanael Nerode wrote:
> DJ Delorie wrote:
> > and find out who at
> > the FSF is the right person to discuss this with.
>
> I'm not sure I'm up to this. :-(
>
Nathanael
Anyone who could clean-up those makefiles,
should find a roomful of lawyers an easy task.
You'll be walking on water before you know it.
Mike