Re: magit copyright assignments

[Jeremy Bryant <jb@jeremybryant.net>]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

> [[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
> [[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
> [[[ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. ]]]
>
>   > > For the magit contributors that have signed papers for Emacs, we
>   > > should ask each one to send an email confirming that perse will regard
>   > > per contributions to magit as contributions to Emacs, once magit is
>   > > included in Emacs.
>
>   > So far I have asked the contributors to consider returning the copyright
>   > assignment form, which names Emacs.  Would this not be sufficient?
>
> Yes and no.
>
> Since Magit is not part of Emacs, interpreting the Emacs assignment in
> a strict sense says it does not cover magit now.
>
> However, we aim to make magit part of Emacs.
>
> So a lawyer gave me the advice that you've quoted above,
> to clarify that the Emacs assignmets DO cover magit.

Thanks for explaining the origin of the advice.

For future iterations and given the importance of defending the GPL
using unambiguous language as far as possible, perhaps it may help to
define a standard text to provide to contributors?

How about something in the style of the 'form' to send to
assign@gnu.org, and that can be distributed by maintainers, proposed
wording below.  WDYT?


--- PROPOSED WORDING
--- INSTRUCTIONS TO SEND TO THE FSF - PACKAGE RELATED

[What is the package considered for inclusion Emacs?]
Package Foo

[Assigment statement]
"I confirm that I regard my contributions to Package Foo as
contributions to Emacs, once Package Foo is included in Emacs."