On Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 9:00 AM, Daniel Stender <[email protected]> wrote: > question: if I am adopting a packet, what's the procedure for altering > debian/copyright (dep5)? > Since I've learned that the "Maintainer:" field is for the upstream > developer, should I just "take > over" the copyright for "Files: debian/*"? What's with the licence itself, > when it's Expat that > should last or could it be altered - why shouldn't?
A verbose/pedantic way of looking at the altering of the debian/copyright information for debian packaging is: 1) the original packaging is copyright the original maintainer, and is licensed as they see fit. You keep their name, copyright, and license in the debian/copyright file unless you delete all their original work and totally write your own packaging from scratch. 2) all debian licenses allow for redistribution and modification, so you can modify their work within the scope of their license. 3) your modifications are copyright you and you can license your modifications how ever you like (as long as it is compatible with the original packaging). Most people just keep the same license for packaging and just add their name to the copyright (and year). 4) this continues unless you totally rewrite the packaging (removing all previous work and your work is not derived from their work), then it becomes solely your work and you don't need their name or license anymore. So, as others have said, you don't "take over" the copyright as much as contribute to the project and add your name and year to the copyright (if you choose to license your revisions as the same license the original maintainer did) Regards, Scott -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email protected] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [email protected] Archive: http://lists.debian.org/[email protected]
