From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Karl Fogel Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: Copyright/Distribution questions (Emacs/Orgmode) Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:18:45 -0500 Message-ID: <87d2v6dhkq.fsf@floss.red-bean.com> References: <87ober717z.fsf@gmail.com> Reply-To: Karl Fogel NNTP-Posting-Host: plane.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1362953934 11132 80.91.229.3 (10 Mar 2013 22:18:54 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:18:54 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org To: Jambunathan K Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sun Mar 10 23:19:19 2013 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([208.118.235.17]) by plane.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1UEoaM-0008DN-HU for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:19:18 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([::1]:57807 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1UEoa0-0007CO-DA for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:18:56 -0400 Original-Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:50429) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1UEoZv-0007C8-Fe for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:18:54 -0400 Original-Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1UEoZs-0007jq-Ma for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:18:51 -0400 Original-Received: from mail-oa0-f43.google.com ([209.85.219.43]:40952) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1UEoZs-0007jj-H4 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:18:48 -0400 Original-Received: by mail-oa0-f43.google.com with SMTP id l10so3884400oag.2 for ; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:18:48 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=x-received:sender:from:to:cc:subject:references:reply-to:date :in-reply-to:message-id:user-agent:mime-version:content-type; bh=NqmTGDDI3GACmccLlWafpxgvpP7P205oKzsJo9AW2BI=; b=lSD3xEDJBnrmqjWPRuXcIZPimvx0U9F+t3Qm/vwtaSti7EvBI7epOAma/Qo+0ePEOa 3EPknsBH40a2pqbLIqasp3HeYeZnh2CygorZ/QIAa4RVTVlABZCpDue8Vi0yCqX1f6m+ HHM0AisMfthvcYHlBE/A+AAhpqAPjBCuI+dWsfcF9xc+VMePw9ZXR2A0eMyt6Tmov3mR pVLi22NOt4UGHnfJRQFQSzcWgNGBiXqCSzWzQ0ZBC5EMVrcwPZjCb7qR9qmib1mFlP0+ yQ6XRjtgpUMMqiiupjnYjfuI7Y/Mb2vtgUjTDJ4EyW5cWHIXm6w9L753nxao4Lt9gTKN 0UOQ== X-Received: by 10.60.8.97 with SMTP id q1mr7231104oea.78.1362953928059; Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:18:48 -0700 (PDT) Original-Received: from floss.red-bean.com (99-135-138-214.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net. [99.135.138.214]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id h9sm14916985obg.14.2013.03.10.15.18.46 (version=TLSv1.2 cipher=RC4-SHA bits=128/128); Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:18:47 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <87ober717z.fsf@gmail.com> (Jambunathan K.'s message of "Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:26:16 +0530") User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/24.3.50 (gnu/linux) X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: GNU/Linux 3.x [fuzzy] X-Received-From: 209.85.219.43 X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:157708 Archived-At: Jambunathan K writes: >I have a query wrt to Emacs/Orgmode. > >For the impending Org-8.0 release, there two files that I had authored >which will be bundled with it. (Org-8.0 is not merged with Emacs yet) > >ox-html.el: It is a port of the old exporter to the new export framework > and requires substantial changes authored by me. There are > *other* authors as well who could be counted as principals. > >ox-odt.el: This file is entirely authored by me to the tune of 99.9% > save for minor refactoring patches by Nicolas Goaziou and > maybe some trivial changes by others. > >I have some disagreements with current Orgmode maintainer and the >community in general. > >I would like to withdraw my pleasure in having these files distributed >as part of Org distribution. I would like to register my displeasure in >a substantial way. > >More specifically, I would like to know how copyright assignment works >for files that are not yet part of Emacs. Is there is a way I can >withdraw my assignment (for a substantial period - say 3-6 months) big >enough to create a minor discomfort for the Org community. > >Please advise me privately. Just wanted to register my general >reservation in having these files included as part of Emacs if and when >the need arises. > >ps: I am interested in discussing the merits or nature of my >disagreements with Bastien or the Orgmode community in general. I would >like to know whether the copyright and licensing process etc to control >how the files are distributed. [Despite your request, I'm not sending this advice privately.] The proper way to handle such disagreements in a free software community is to fork the software, or propose forking it and see who follows, not to try to retroactively impose monopolistic restrictions on distributing the code. You could also ask to have your name and implied endorsement removed from the software in question. Both of these solutions would solve your problem while not restricting others from distributing and using the code. As a purely legal question: I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice, but I don't believe you can retroactively withdraw your copyright assignment -- if I were the assignee, I'd ignore such a threat, because the purpose of assignment is to prevent people from doing what you're trying to do now. (I'd also probably stop accepting further contributions from you, however.) -Karl