2011/6/13 Jonas Smedegaard <[email protected]>: > On 11-06-13 at 05:28pm, Dan S wrote: >> 2011/6/13 Jonas Smedegaard <[email protected]>: >> > On 11-06-13 at 01:22pm, Dan S wrote: >> >> 2011/6/13 Jonas Smedegaard <[email protected]>: >> >> > On 11-06-13 at 03:14am, Felipe Sateler wrote: >> >> >> On Sun, Jun 12, 2011 at 22:40, Jonas Smedegaard <[email protected]> >> >> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> Actually, for "*" the listing of "Copyright: 2002-2003, James >> >> >> >> McCartney" is out of date. I would change it to "Copyright: >> >> >> >> 2002-2011, James McCartney and others" - that OK? There are many >> >> >> >> dozens of code contributors so I hope "others" is not too weird. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > "others" is not a legal entity. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > What needs to be listed in Files sections is the actual copyright >> >> >> > holders, not all contributors. >> >> >> >> >> >> There is not full consensus around this idea. If one can be >> >> >> reasonably sure that the work is under the listed license, my >> >> >> personal take on the subject is that one lists all the copyright >> >> >> holders on a best effort basis. It can perfectly be possible, >> >> >> especially with large and relatively old packages, that names are >> >> >> forgotten/lost. That doesn't mean the package is not fit for debian >> >> >> because the copyright file cannot list all copyright holders. >> >> >> >> >> >> In other words, I believe it is acceptable to put "others" in the >> >> >> Files sections, when filling the complete list is too hard. >> >> > >> >> > I did not write that all others need to be documented. >> >> > >> >> > On the contrary, when those others are contributors without holding >> >> > copyright, I believe they need not be listed. >> >> >> >> OK. This can be implemented simply by using the names given in the >> >> copyright statements, as has been done in the package at present. >> >> However, there are quite a few contributors who have made >> >> contributions of sufficient complexity (etc) to claim copyright, but >> >> who didn't bother to change the copyright notices. Should I ignore >> >> them, or what? I could say "it's their fault for not claiming their >> >> copyright" but at least in my country (UK) you don't need to claim >> >> copyright in order to have it, so in a sense I should attribute them >> >> even if they forgot to attribute themselves. >> >> >> >> To be honest, I guess it's probably OK as-is (without "others"), >> >> though it does feel a little unrepresentative. >> > >> > That is new info to me, and changes the game! >> > >> > As Debian maintainer, when you are well aware that additional copyright >> > holders exist then they should be properly listed in debian/copyright. >> > >> > Best way to do that is to convince upstream (i.e. yourself with another >> > hat on) to explicitly list all copyright holders as such in headers of >> > corresponding code files. >> > >> > There are (sub-optimal!) alternatives. One is to only list them in >> > debian/copyright (i.e. not bother as upstream - affecting other >> > distributors). Another is as upstream to summarize in README or >> > CONTRIBUTORS or AUTHORS or similar, and as Debian maintainer copy that >> > chunk into debian/copyright. >> > >> > I do not consider it acceptable for Debian distribution to just list >> > some copyright holders as "...and others". Feel free to disagree with >> > me - I am not the law here, just very interested in perfecting these >> > texts, to most properly honour those contributing to the FLOSS world. >> > You can consult debian-legal@ or you can take your chances and hope >> > ftpmasters do not spot the issues and block based on it. >> >> That's fine - grateful for your opinion. SuperCollider does have an >> AUTHORS file (44 entries), which I think represents certainly the >> majority of copyright-holders very well. Shall I use that for the "*" >> rule, do you think? It feels appropriate to me. > > It does not feel appropriate to me to only list "the majority". The > majority of contributors, sure, but IMO Debian packaging needs all > copyright holders.
Fair enough - it gives me a nudge to update the AUTHORS file upstream too, since we've had new developers joining. I've pushed an update with all copyright holders. Dan _______________________________________________ pkg-multimedia-maintainers mailing list [email protected] http://lists.alioth.debian.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pkg-multimedia-maintainers
