Copyright of contributions to org-mode

Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Carsten Dominik]

Dar all,

in the light of the recent dispute, I have now added the
paragraph below to

    http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contribute.html#sec-2

to clarify the copyright implications of submitting
contributions to org-mode.  I hope this helps to avoid
problems in the future.

Regards

- Carsten

By submitting patches to emacs-orgmode@gnu.org, or by pushing changes
to the Org-mode repository, you are placing these changes under GPL
version 3, with all the implications that has.  If at the time you
submit or push these changes you have active copyright assignment
papers with the FSF, for future changes to either Org-mode or to
Emacs, this means that copyright to these changes is automatically
transferred to the FSF.  The Org-mode repository is seen as upstream
repository for Emacs, anything contained in it can potentially end up
in Emacs.  If you do not have signed papers with the FSF, only changes
to files in the contrib/ part of the repository will be accepted, as
well as very minor changes (so-called /tiny changes/) to core files.
You will be asked to sign FSF papers at the moment we attempt to move
a contrib/ file into the Org core, or into Emacs.

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Andreas Röhler]

Am 13.03.2013 11:50, schrieb Carsten Dominik:
> Dar all,
>
> in the light of the recent dispute, I have now added the
> paragraph below to
>
>      http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contribute.html#sec-2
>
> to clarify the copyright implications of submitting
> contributions to org-mode.  I hope this helps to avoid
> problems in the future.
>
> Regards
>
> - Carsten
>
> By submitting patches to emacs-orgmode@gnu.org, or by pushing changes
> to the Org-mode repository, you are placing these changes under GPL
> version 3, with all the implications that has.  If at the time you
> submit or push these changes you have active copyright assignment
> papers with the FSF, for future changes to either Org-mode or to
> Emacs, this means that copyright to these changes is automatically
> transferred to the FSF.  The Org-mode repository is seen as upstream
> repository for Emacs, anything contained in it can potentially end up
> in Emacs.  If you do not have signed papers with the FSF, only changes
> to files in the contrib/ part of the repository will be accepted, as
> well as very minor changes (so-called /tiny changes/) to core files.
> You will be asked to sign FSF papers at the moment we attempt to move
> a contrib/ file into the Org core, or into Emacs.
>
>
>

Hi Carsten,

above in this document it's told

"For this you need to complete this form, send it to assign@gnu.org, and
tell the Org-mode maintainer when this process is complete."

Would consider it fair to read after second commata something like

"whereof you will receive the copyright-assignement contract. Tell ..."

The assignment contract is very different from the disclaimer visible so far.

Best,

Andreas

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Giovanni Ridolfi]

 Da: Carsten Dominik <carsten.dominik@gmail.com>

>Inviato: Mercoledì 13 Marzo 2013 11:50

Hi, Carsten,
> you are placing these changes 

> under GPL version 3, 

> with 


shouldn't it be: 
"you are placing these changes 

under either version 3 of the GPL, or (at your option) 

any later version, 


with "


or my version is too long?

Giovanni

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Carsten Dominik]

On 13 mrt. 2013, at 12:13, Giovanni Ridolfi <giovanni.ridolfi@yahoo.it> wrote:

> 
> 
>  Da: Carsten Dominik <carsten.dominik@gmail.com>
> 
>> Inviato: Mercoledì 13 Marzo 2013 11:50
> 
> Hi, Carsten,
>> you are placing these changes 
> 
>> under GPL version 3, 
> 
>> with 
> 
> 
> shouldn't it be: 
> "you are placing these changes 
> 
> under either version 3 of the GPL, or (at your option) 
> 
> any later version, 


Hi Giovanni,

not sure how this would work.  Each file in org-mode doe mention in the header that it is GPLv3 or later, that is right, but I don't know how it would work if contributors opt for different versions of GPL fir each line of code changed.

I will write GLPv3 or later and not specify this further, OK?

- Carsten

> 
> 
> with "
> 
> 
> or my version is too long?
> 
> Giovanni

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Carsten Dominik]

On 13 mrt. 2013, at 12:12, Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@easy-emacs.de> wrote:

> Am 13.03.2013 11:50, schrieb Carsten Dominik:
>> Dar all,
>> 
>> in the light of the recent dispute, I have now added the
>> paragraph below to
>> 
>>     http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contribute.html#sec-2
>> 
>> to clarify the copyright implications of submitting
>> contributions to org-mode.  I hope this helps to avoid
>> problems in the future.
>> 
>> Regards
>> 
>> - Carsten
>> 
>> By submitting patches to emacs-orgmode@gnu.org, or by pushing changes
>> to the Org-mode repository, you are placing these changes under GPL
>> version 3, with all the implications that has.  If at the time you
>> submit or push these changes you have active copyright assignment
>> papers with the FSF, for future changes to either Org-mode or to
>> Emacs, this means that copyright to these changes is automatically
>> transferred to the FSF.  The Org-mode repository is seen as upstream
>> repository for Emacs, anything contained in it can potentially end up
>> in Emacs.  If you do not have signed papers with the FSF, only changes
>> to files in the contrib/ part of the repository will be accepted, as
>> well as very minor changes (so-called /tiny changes/) to core files.
>> You will be asked to sign FSF papers at the moment we attempt to move
>> a contrib/ file into the Org core, or into Emacs.
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> Hi Carsten,
> 
> above in this document it's told
> 
> "For this you need to complete this form, send it to assign@gnu.org, and
> tell the Org-mode maintainer when this process is complete."
> 
> Would consider it fair to read after second commata something like
> 
> "whereof you will receive the copyright-assignement contract. Tell ..."

Sure, I can say this more explicitly.

Thanks

- Carsten

> 
> The assignment contract is very different from the disclaimer visible so far.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Andreas
> 

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Bastien]

Hi Carsten,

Carsten Dominik <carsten.dominik@gmail.com> writes:

> I will write GLPv3 or later and not specify this further, OK?

I'd state it like this:

  "... you are placing this changes under the same licensing terms
  than those under which GNU Emacs is published:
  
  ;; GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
  ;; it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
  ;; the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
  ;; (at your option) any later version.
  
  If at the time you submit or push these changes you have active
  copyright assignment papers..."

Maybe that's a bit heavy-handed, but it avoids any confusion about the
"or" in "GNU GPLv3 or any later"...
  
-- 
 Bastien

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Andreas Röhler]

Am 13.03.2013 12:50, schrieb Bastien:
> Hi Carsten,
>
> Carsten Dominik <carsten.dominik@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I will write GLPv3 or later and not specify this further, OK?
>
> I'd state it like this:
>
>    "... you are placing this changes under the same licensing terms
>    than those under which GNU Emacs is published:
>
>    ;; GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
>    ;; it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
>    ;; the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
>    ;; (at your option) any later version.
>
>    If at the time you submit or push these changes you have active
>    copyright assignment papers..."
>
> Maybe that's a bit heavy-handed, but it avoids any confusion about the
> "or" in "GNU GPLv3 or any later"...
>
>

Or maybe drop that sentence. GPL is a complete different matter, as mentioned earlier :)
You may assign copyright also without GPL ... etc. It's at the receiver to choose the license than.

Cheers

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Bastien]

Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@easy-emacs.de> writes:

> Or maybe drop that sentence.

Nope: the whole purpose of clarifying is to make it clear what are
the licensing terms, when the assignement is needed, and what are the
consequences of assigning the copyright.  

We should be short but exhaustive here.

The idea is to make sure people understand that sending patches for
Org's core is *exactly* like having the patch integrated into Emacs.
Both the copyright assignment and the agreement on the licensing terms
are preconditions.

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Andreas Röhler]

Am 13.03.2013 13:10, schrieb Bastien:
> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@easy-emacs.de> writes:
>
>> Or maybe drop that sentence.
>
> Nope: the whole purpose of clarifying is to make it clear what are
> the licensing terms, when the assignement is needed, and what are the
> consequences of assigning the copyright.
>
> We should be short but exhaustive here.
>
> The idea is to make sure people understand that sending patches for
> Org's core is *exactly* like having the patch integrated into Emacs.
> Both the copyright assignment and the agreement on the licensing terms
> are preconditions.
>

Hi Bastien, Hi Carsten,

as these legal matters are of interest to a certain extend:

1) does this change/sentence meet the problem arised?
2) is the sentence in question here true, can it be true?

1d There was no misunderstanding but displayed frustration, eagerness or whatever.
    No misunderstanding, no need to clarify the pretended matter.

2nd) If someone changes a GPLed file while propagating the changes with a compatible license as mentioned
      http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses:

      Is org-mode going to create its own legislation excluding this? :)

Cheers

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Bastien]

Hi Andreas,

there is nothing to argue here.

Patches sent against files in Org's core are like patches sent against
GNU Emacs files.  The submitter needs to agree to have it licensed
under the same condition than for GNU Emacs, and needs to assign his
copyright before they can be integrated.  If you modify some Emacs
file, you have to license it under "GNU GPLv3 or any later" licensing
terms.  If you want these files to go into GNU Emacs, you have to
assign your copyright to the FSF first.

I won't spend more time on this as I have to focus on code.

Thanks,

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Copyright of contributions to org-mode

[Carsten Dominik]

On 13 mrt. 2013, at 13:35, Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@easy-emacs.de> wrote:

> Am 13.03.2013 13:10, schrieb Bastien:
>> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@easy-emacs.de> writes:
>> 
>>> Or maybe drop that sentence.
>> 
>> Nope: the whole purpose of clarifying is to make it clear what are
>> the licensing terms, when the assignement is needed, and what are the
>> consequences of assigning the copyright.
>> 
>> We should be short but exhaustive here.
>> 
>> The idea is to make sure people understand that sending patches for
>> Org's core is *exactly* like having the patch integrated into Emacs.
>> Both the copyright assignment and the agreement on the licensing terms
>> are preconditions.
>> 
> 
> Hi Bastien, Hi Carsten,
> 
> as these legal matters are of interest to a certain extend:
> 
> 1) does this change/sentence meet the problem arised?

I think so.  Jambunathan tried to argue that his signed copyright assignment papers should only become active at the moment the changes arrive at Emacs.

> 2) is the sentence in question here true, can it be true?
> 
> 1d There was no misunderstanding but displayed frustration, eagerness or whatever.
>   No misunderstanding, no need to clarify the pretended matter.

The motive was disgruntlement, but the argument was based on this perceived loophole.

> 
> 2nd) If someone changes a GPLed file while propagating the changes with a compatible license as mentioned
>     http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses:
> 
>     Is org-mode going to create its own legislation excluding this? :)


No, we are not creating legislation.  We are writing down a policy.  If the case your describe should arise, it can be dealt with then.

- Carsten