Mercurial > emacs
annotate admin/notes/copyright @ 75859:b9b28df5107e
check-doc-strings is in public domain.
author | Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com> |
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date | Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:38:22 +0000 |
parents | 5d0170c9b22b |
children | 11e96f2d86c2 |
rev | line source |
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75596 | 1 Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
75776 | 2 See the end of the file for license conditions. |
75596 | 3 |
4 | |
75465 | 5 NOTES ON COPYRIGHTS AND LICENSES |
6 | |
7 Some terminology: | |
8 | |
9 A "copyright notice" consists of one or a few lines of this format: | |
10 "Copyright (C) 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc." | |
11 | |
12 A "license notice" is a statement of permissions, and is usually much | |
13 longer, eg the text "GNU Emacs is free software...". | |
14 | |
15 | |
16 Every non-trivial file distributed through the Emacs CVS should be | |
17 self-explanatory in terms of copyright and license. This includes | |
18 files that are not distributed in Emacs releases (for example, the | |
19 admin/ directory), because the whole Emacs CVS is publicly | |
20 available. | |
21 | |
22 The definition of triviality is a little vague, but a rule of thumb is | |
23 that any file with less than 15 lines of actual content is trivial. If | |
24 a file is auto-generated (eg ldefs-boot.el) from another one in the | |
25 CVS, then it does not really matter about adding a copyright statement | |
26 to the generated file. | |
27 | |
75792 | 28 However, here is a quote from Matt Norwood (Software Freedom Law |
29 Center) that suggests we should revise the above policy about trivial | |
30 files: | |
31 | |
32 If FSF has a strong policy reason notices off of files it | |
33 considers "trivial", this will take a lot more bookkeeping; it | |
34 also runs the risk of these "trivial" files later growing into | |
35 non-trivial files, and being in the tree without any record of | |
36 authorship. All in all, I think it's a better policy to attach the | |
37 notice and let future authors decide if something is trivial when | |
38 they want to reuse it elsewhere. | |
39 [...] | |
40 In general, copyright law will step back and look at the overall "work" | |
41 consisting of all the assembled components working together as a system; | |
42 it will apply protection and permissions to this system, not to its | |
43 subcomponents. If parts of it are recombined into another system, it | |
44 will consider the protections and permissions for each of the source | |
45 components only in order to assess the overall status of the work again. | |
46 The assessment of whether a set of components is entitled to copyright | |
47 protection is the degree to which they display "creativity": not as | |
48 atomic units, but as parts of a system working in concert. Thus, several | |
49 "trivial" components working together in some coherent system might be | |
50 protectible. | |
51 | |
75465 | 52 The years in the copyright notice should be updated every year (see |
53 file "years" in this directory). The PS versions of refcards etc | |
54 should display copyright notices (an exception to the rule about | |
55 "generated" files), but these can just display the latest year. The | |
56 full list of years should be kept in comments in the source file. If | |
57 these are distributed in CVS, check in a regenerated version when the | |
58 tex files are updated. | |
59 | |
60 Copyright changes should be propagated to any associated repositories | |
61 (eg Gnus, MH-E), but I think in every case this happens automatically | |
62 (?). | |
63 | |
75776 | 64 All README (and other such text files) that are non-trivial should |
65 contain copyright statements and GPL license notices, exactly as .el | |
66 files do (see e.g. README in the top-level directory). (Before 2007, | |
67 we used a simple, short statement permitting copying and modification | |
68 provided legal notices were retained. In Feb 2007 we switched to the | |
69 standard GPL text, on legal advice.) | |
75465 | 70 |
75776 | 71 For image files, the copyright and license details should be recorded |
72 in a README file in each directory with images. (Legal advice says | |
73 that we need not add notices to each image file individually, if they | |
74 allow for that.) | |
75465 | 75 |
76 When installing a file with an "unusual" license (after checking first | |
77 it is ok), put a copy of the copyright and license in the file (if | |
78 possible. It's ok if this makes the file incompatible with its | |
79 original format, if it can still be used by Emacs), or in a README | |
80 file in the relevant directory. | |
81 | |
82 The vast majority of files are copyright FSF and distributed under the | |
83 GPL. A few files (mainly related to language and charset support) are | |
84 copyright AIST alone, or both AIST and FSF. (Contact Kenichi Handa | |
85 with questions about legal issues in such files.) In all these cases, | |
86 the copyright years in each file should be updated each year. | |
87 | |
88 There are some exceptions to the points in the previous paragraph, and | |
89 these are listed below for reference, together with any files where | |
90 the copyright needs to be updated in "unusual" ways. | |
91 | |
92 If you find any other such cases, please consult to check they are ok, | |
93 and note them in this file. This includes missing copyright notices, | |
94 and "odd" copyright holders. In most cases, individual authors should | |
95 not appear in copyright statements. Either the copyright has been | |
96 assigned (check copyright.list) to the FSF (in which case the original | |
97 author should be removed and the year(s) transferred to the FSF); or | |
98 else it is possible the file should not be in Emacs at all (please | |
99 report!). | |
100 | |
75791 | 101 Note that it seems painfully clear that one cannot rely on CVS logs, |
102 or even ChangeLogs, for older changes. People often installed changes | |
103 from others, without recording the true authorship. | |
104 | |
75465 | 105 [For reference, most of these points were established via email with |
106 rms, 2007/1, "Copyright years".] | |
107 | |
108 | |
75596 | 109 lib-src/etags.c # print_version |
110 lib-src/rcs2log # Copyright | |
111 lisp/calc/calc-help.el # calc-full-help | |
112 lisp/startup.el # fancy-splash-tail | |
113 mac/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings | |
114 mac/src/Emacs.r # resource 'vers' | |
115 src/emacs.c | |
116 - remember to change the latest copyright year in the --version output. | |
117 [Post-release, will automate this like set-version does for version.] | |
118 | |
75859
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check-doc-strings is in public domain.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents:
75858
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119 admin/check-doc-strings |
b9b28df5107e
check-doc-strings is in public domain.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents:
75858
diff
changeset
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120 Author is Martin Buchholz, and the program output says it is in the |
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check-doc-strings is in public domain.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents:
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121 public domain. |
75596 | 122 |
75465 | 123 <top-level>/install-sh |
124 lispintro/install-sh | |
125 - this file is copyright MIT, which is OK. Leave the copyright alone. | |
126 | |
127 etc/edt-user.doc | |
128 - update BOTH notices in this file | |
129 | |
75791 | 130 etc/letter.pbm.letter.xpm |
131 - trivial, no notice needed. | |
132 | |
75539 | 133 leim/CXTERM-DIC/4Corner.tit, ARRAY30.tit, CCDOSPY.tit, ECDICT.tit, |
134 ETZY.tit, PY-b5.tit, Punct-b5.tit, Punct.tit, QJ-b5.tit, QJ.tit, | |
135 SW.tit, TONEPY.tit, ZOZY.tit | |
75465 | 136 - leave the copyrights alone. |
137 | |
138 leim/MISC-DIC/CTLau-b5.html, CTLau.html, cangjie-table.b5, cangjie-table.cns, | |
75539 | 139 pinyin.map, ziranma.cin |
75465 | 140 - leave the copyright alone. |
141 | |
142 leim/SKK-DIC/SKK-JISYO.L | |
143 ja-dic/ja-dic.el | |
144 (the latter is auto-generated from the former). Leave the copyright alone. | |
145 | |
146 lib-src/etags.c | |
147 - this has a copyright Ken Arnold. We are still deciding what should | |
148 be done here (see below). | |
149 | |
150 lib-src/getopt1.c, getopt_int.h | |
151 - these are from the GNU C library. Leave the copyrights alone. | |
152 | |
75499 | 153 lisp/play/tetris.el |
154 - no special rules about the copyright. We note here that we believe | |
155 (2007/1) there is no problem with our use of the name "tetris" or | |
156 the concept. | |
157 rms: "My understanding is that game rules as such are not copyrightable." | |
158 <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-01/msg00960.html> | |
159 | |
75465 | 160 lispref/doclicense.texi |
161 man/doclicense.texi | |
162 - leave the copyright alone in this imported file. | |
163 | |
164 lisp/net/tramp.el | |
165 - there are also copyrights in the body of the file. Update these too. | |
166 | |
167 msdos/is_exec.c, sigaction.c | |
168 - these files are copyright DJ Delorie. Leave the copyrights alone. | |
75763 | 169 Leave the Eli Zaretskii copyright in is_exec.c alone. See the |
170 msdos/README file for the legal history of these files. | |
75465 | 171 |
172 src/gmalloc.c | |
75539 | 173 - contains numerous copyrights from the GNU C library. Leave them alone. |
174 | |
75766 | 175 src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h |
75765 | 176 - see comments below. These files are OK to be released with Emacs |
177 22, but we may want to revisit them afterwards. | |
178 | |
75586 | 179 [src/unexhp9k800.c - removed 2007/1/27] |
75539 | 180 [src/m/sr2k.h - removed 2007/1/27] |
181 - First file removed due to legal uncertainties; second file removed | |
182 due to dependency on first. Note that src/m/hp800.h is still needed on | |
183 hp800 arch. | |
75679 | 184 NB we would like to re-add this file if we can. Please let us know |
185 if you can clarify its legal status. | |
75465 | 186 |
75765 | 187 |
188 *** These are copyright issues that need not be fixed until after | |
189 Emacs 22 is released (though if they can be fixed before, that is | |
190 obviously good): | |
191 | |
192 | |
193 Is it OK to just `cvs remove' a file for legal reasons, or is | |
194 something more drastic needed? A removed file is still available from | |
195 CVS, if suitable options are applied. (This CVS issue obviously does | |
196 not affect a release). | |
197 rms: will ask lawyer | |
198 | |
199 | |
200 REMOVED etc/orgcard.tex, orgcard.ps | |
201 Re-add these files if an assignment is received from Rooke. | |
202 | |
75791 | 203 etc/images |
204 Image files from GTK, Gnome are under GPLv2 (no "or later"?). RMS will | |
205 contact image authors in regards to future switch to v3. | |
206 | |
75765 | 207 |
75766 | 208 src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h |
75765 | 209 On legal advice from Matt Norwood, the following comment was added |
210 to these files in Feb 2007: | |
211 | |
212 The code here is forced by the interface, and is not subject to | |
213 copyright, constituting the only possible expression of the | |
214 algorithm in this format. | |
215 | |
216 With the addition of this notice, these files are OK for the | |
217 upcoming Emacs-22 release. Post-release, we can revisit this issue | |
218 and possibly add a list of all authors who have changed these files. | |
219 (details in email from Matt Norwood to rms, 2007/02/03). | |
220 | |
221 | |
222 REMOVED src/unexhp9k800.c | |
223 - we would like to re-add this file if possible. Please let us know | |
224 if you can clarify its legal status. | |
225 http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00138.html | |
226 | |
227 | |
228 | |
75465 | 229 *** These are copyright issues still to be addressed: |
230 | |
231 | |
75661 | 232 Maybe some relevant comments here? |
233 <http://groups.google.com/group/linux.debian.legal/browse_thread/thread/123547ea95437a1f> | |
234 | |
235 | |
75465 | 236 All README (and other such files) that are non-trivial and were added |
75776 | 237 by Emacs developers need copyright statements and copying permissions. |
238 missed any? | |
75586 | 239 etc/BABYL? |
75793 | 240 lisp/term/README? |
75776 | 241 borderline "trivial" cases (see below)...? |
242 These should use the standard GPL text (same as .el files), rather | |
243 than the short notices we have been using till now. | |
244 rms: "If a README file is under 60 lines long, using the long version | |
245 might be ugly. Please tell me if you encounter one that is under 60 | |
246 lines." | |
75465 | 247 |
248 | |
75791 | 249 Clarify the legal status of image files. It's not necessary to put a |
250 notice in each image (where the format allows it). It's OK to put the | |
251 information in a README file in the associated directory. Files can be | |
252 listed in groups. See etc/README for an example. | |
253 Image files to consider: | |
75858
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254 etc/images/gnus/bar, dead, gnus kill-group, reverse-smile, rot13 |
75791 | 255 etc/images/smilies/ |
256 rms: "Can you find this by searching for items in copyright.list that | |
257 assign images for Emacs?" [this suggests we ask Bill Wohler] | |
258 | |
75768 | 259 |
75465 | 260 etc/ms-kermit - no copyright, but ms-7bkermit has one |
261 etc/e/eterm-color.ti - no copyright | |
262 rms: "I think that is not copyrightable under the merger doctrine | |
263 because the entries are all forced. At least that is the case in the | |
264 US; I am not sure whether we can rely on that in general." | |
265 | |
75656 | 266 For the above files, mail sent from rms to Matthew Norwood |
75465 | 267 asking what to do (via Eben Moglen), 2007/1/22 ("Copyright years"). |
268 | |
269 | |
270 lib-src/etags.c - no 'k.* arnold' in copyright.list' | |
271 rms: "That is ok, in principle. I used free code released by Ken | |
272 Arnold as the starting point. However, it may be that we need to get | |
273 and insert whatever his license was for his code." | |
274 | |
75586 | 275 - 1984 version of ctags, with no copyright, posted to net.sources: |
276 http://groups.google.com/group/net.sources/msg/a21b6c21be12a98d | |
277 | |
75465 | 278 |
279 lwlib/lwlib-int.h, lwlib.h - no copyright | |
280 lwlib/Makefile.in, lwlib-utils.c, lwlib.c - copyright Lucid | |
281 lwlib/lwlib-Xaw.c - copyright Chuck Thompson | |
282 lwlib/lwlib.c - copyright Lucid, but FSF copyright was added in 2002 - | |
283 was that correct? | |
284 rms: "I asked Matthew Norwood about these, I believe." | |
285 | |
286 | |
287 oldXMenu/ | |
288 - should there be any FSF copyrights at all in here? Some were added | |
289 in 2005, without licence notices. Was this right? | |
290 oldXMenu/Makefile.in, Makefile, Imakefile, descrip.mms, insque.c | |
291 - issues described in mail to rms, 2006/12/17. | |
292 rms: "I have asked for lawyer's advice about these." | |
293 | |
294 | |
75766 | 295 src/gnu.h |
75465 | 296 src/m/mips4.h, news-r6.h, news-risc.h, pmax.h |
297 src/s/aix3-2.h, bsd386.h, hpux8.h, hpux9.h, irix4-0.h, irix5-0.h, | |
298 isc2-2.h, netbsd.h, osf1.h, sol2-3.h, sunos4-0.h, umips.h, usg5-4-2.h | |
299 - all these (not obviously trivial) files are missing copyrights. | |
300 rms: "I should talk about these with Matthew Norwood." | |
75792 | 301 The current legal advice seems to be that we should attach FSF |
302 copyright and GPL for the time being, then review post-release. But it | |
303 is still under discussion. | |
75776 | 304 |
305 | |
306 This file is part of GNU Emacs. | |
307 | |
308 GNU Emacs is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify | |
309 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by | |
310 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) | |
311 any later version. | |
312 | |
313 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, | |
314 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of | |
315 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the | |
316 GNU General Public License for more details. | |
317 | |
318 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License | |
319 along with GNU Emacs; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the | |
320 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, | |
321 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. |