3 ms·

This is why there should be an easier way to auto-sign CLAs or better yet, programmatically declare that all my contributions are CC0/public-domain so nobody ha

by NavinF 3y ago

This is why there should be an easier way to auto-sign CLAs or better yet, programmatically declare that all my contributions are CC0/public-domain so nobody has to contact me to find out that my code doesn't come with strings attached

sidewndr46 3y ago
I'm not entirely sure you can declare your contributions to a GPL project as being under another license. Placing your contribution in the public domain is highly unlikely to be possible as your contribution is in fact a derivative work.
- makeworld 3y ago
  As the author of the changes, I thought you can license them however you wish. What you're contributing is basically a diff, I don't think that counts as a derivative work as you wrote all the content. If you distributed your change with the original repo that sounds more like a derivative work to me. https://indieopensource.com/public-private/contributors https://indieopensource.com/public-private/contributors
  - sidewndr46 3y ago
    what you're describing would make end-running the GPL absurdly easy. Vendors would just distribute vanilla Linux source code and in another file distribute their not-a-derivative patches under their own proprietary license. Patches are obviously a derivative work. No one spontaneously describes deleting several lines of code & then replacing it with other lines of code.
    - makeworld 3y ago
      My understanding is that that would be legal. The problem for those companies is they can't build and distribute a Linux kernel that contains those patches, because then that is a derivative work. So in practice they have to release their changes under the GPL as it's not feasible to ask users to compile their own kernel with their custom patches.
loeg 3y ago
Some CLAs come with provisions beyond renouncing copyright (public domain).
- 0x457 3y ago
  Yes, most also require confirming that you're allowed to make contributions. That's because most tech companies make you sign "everything you do on a clock is ours" documents, CLA here meant to protect from your employee claiming your contribution is actually weren't yours to make.

by NavinF 3y ago

sidewndr46 3y ago

I'm not entirely sure you can declare your contributions to a GPL project as being under another license. Placing your contribution in the public domain is highly unlikely to be possible as your contribution is in fact a derivative work.

makeworld 3y ago
As the author of the changes, I thought you can license them however you wish. What you're contributing is basically a diff, I don't think that counts as a derivative work as you wrote all the content. If you distributed your change with the original repo that sounds more like a derivative work to me. https://indieopensource.com/public-private/contributors https://indieopensource.com/public-private/contributors
- sidewndr46 3y ago
  what you're describing would make end-running the GPL absurdly easy. Vendors would just distribute vanilla Linux source code and in another file distribute their not-a-derivative patches under their own proprietary license. Patches are obviously a derivative work. No one spontaneously describes deleting several lines of code & then replacing it with other lines of code.
  - makeworld 3y ago
    My understanding is that that would be legal. The problem for those companies is they can't build and distribute a Linux kernel that contains those patches, because then that is a derivative work. So in practice they have to release their changes under the GPL as it's not feasible to ask users to compile their own kernel with their custom patches.

loeg 3y ago

Some CLAs come with provisions beyond renouncing copyright (public domain).

0x457 3y ago
Yes, most also require confirming that you're allowed to make contributions. That's because most tech companies make you sign "everything you do on a clock is ours" documents, CLA here meant to protect from your employee claiming your contribution is actually weren't yours to make.