Commit | Line | Data |
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b05db979 | 1 | Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
e3e14128 | 2 | See the end of the file for license conditions. |
b05db979 GM |
3 | |
4 | ||
571975c0 GM |
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 | ||
cf164db2 GM |
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 | ||
5aa27cc9 GM |
52 | RMS feels, though, that in trivial files (eg etc/FTP), having a |
53 | license notice looks odd. Matt Norwood has confirmed it is not | |
54 | _necessary_ to have licenses in such files, so we are sticking with | |
55 | the policy of no licenses in "trivial" files. | |
56 | ||
571975c0 GM |
57 | The years in the copyright notice should be updated every year (see |
58 | file "years" in this directory). The PS versions of refcards etc | |
59 | should display copyright notices (an exception to the rule about | |
60 | "generated" files), but these can just display the latest year. The | |
61 | full list of years should be kept in comments in the source file. If | |
62 | these are distributed in CVS, check in a regenerated version when the | |
63 | tex files are updated. | |
64 | ||
65 | Copyright changes should be propagated to any associated repositories | |
66 | (eg Gnus, MH-E), but I think in every case this happens automatically | |
67 | (?). | |
68 | ||
e3e14128 GM |
69 | All README (and other such text files) that are non-trivial should |
70 | contain copyright statements and GPL license notices, exactly as .el | |
71 | files do (see e.g. README in the top-level directory). (Before 2007, | |
72 | we used a simple, short statement permitting copying and modification | |
73 | provided legal notices were retained. In Feb 2007 we switched to the | |
74 | standard GPL text, on legal advice.) | |
571975c0 | 75 | |
e3e14128 GM |
76 | For image files, the copyright and license details should be recorded |
77 | in a README file in each directory with images. (Legal advice says | |
78 | that we need not add notices to each image file individually, if they | |
5aa27cc9 GM |
79 | allow for that.). It is recommended to use the word "convert" to |
80 | describe the automatic process of changing an image from one format to | |
81 | another (http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00618.html). | |
82 | ||
571975c0 GM |
83 | |
84 | When installing a file with an "unusual" license (after checking first | |
85 | it is ok), put a copy of the copyright and license in the file (if | |
86 | possible. It's ok if this makes the file incompatible with its | |
87 | original format, if it can still be used by Emacs), or in a README | |
88 | file in the relevant directory. | |
89 | ||
90 | The vast majority of files are copyright FSF and distributed under the | |
91 | GPL. A few files (mainly related to language and charset support) are | |
92 | copyright AIST alone, or both AIST and FSF. (Contact Kenichi Handa | |
93 | with questions about legal issues in such files.) In all these cases, | |
94 | the copyright years in each file should be updated each year. | |
95 | ||
96 | There are some exceptions to the points in the previous paragraph, and | |
97 | these are listed below for reference, together with any files where | |
98 | the copyright needs to be updated in "unusual" ways. | |
99 | ||
100 | If you find any other such cases, please consult to check they are ok, | |
101 | and note them in this file. This includes missing copyright notices, | |
102 | and "odd" copyright holders. In most cases, individual authors should | |
103 | not appear in copyright statements. Either the copyright has been | |
104 | assigned (check copyright.list) to the FSF (in which case the original | |
105 | author should be removed and the year(s) transferred to the FSF); or | |
106 | else it is possible the file should not be in Emacs at all (please | |
107 | report!). | |
108 | ||
c14dd816 GM |
109 | Note that it seems painfully clear that one cannot rely on CVS logs, |
110 | or even ChangeLogs, for older changes. People often installed changes | |
111 | from others, without recording the true authorship. | |
112 | ||
571975c0 GM |
113 | [For reference, most of these points were established via email with |
114 | rms, 2007/1, "Copyright years".] | |
115 | ||
116 | ||
b05db979 GM |
117 | lib-src/etags.c # print_version |
118 | lib-src/rcs2log # Copyright | |
119 | lisp/calc/calc-help.el # calc-full-help | |
120 | lisp/startup.el # fancy-splash-tail | |
121 | mac/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings | |
122 | mac/src/Emacs.r # resource 'vers' | |
123 | src/emacs.c | |
124 | - remember to change the latest copyright year in the --version output. | |
125 | [Post-release, will automate this like set-version does for version.] | |
126 | ||
571975c0 GM |
127 | <top-level>/install-sh |
128 | lispintro/install-sh | |
129 | - this file is copyright MIT, which is OK. Leave the copyright alone. | |
130 | ||
5aa27cc9 GM |
131 | admin/check-doc-strings |
132 | public domain, leave alone. | |
133 | ||
571975c0 GM |
134 | etc/edt-user.doc |
135 | - update BOTH notices in this file | |
136 | ||
5aa27cc9 | 137 | etc/letter.pbm,letter.xpm |
c14dd816 | 138 | - trivial, no notice needed. |
5aa27cc9 GM |
139 | <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00324.html> |
140 | ||
141 | etc/GNU, INTERVIEW, LINUX-GNU, MOTIVATION, SERVICE, THE-GNU-PROJECT, | |
142 | WHY-FREE | |
143 | rms: "These are statements of opinion or testimony. Their licenses | |
144 | should permit verbatim copying only. Please don't change the | |
145 | licenses that they have. They are distributed with Emacs but they | |
146 | are not part of Emacs." | |
147 | ||
148 | etc/MAILINGLISTS | |
149 | rms: simple license is fine for this file | |
c14dd816 | 150 | |
d4c2a0cc GM |
151 | leim/CXTERM-DIC/4Corner.tit, ARRAY30.tit, CCDOSPY.tit, ECDICT.tit, |
152 | ETZY.tit, PY-b5.tit, Punct-b5.tit, Punct.tit, QJ-b5.tit, QJ.tit, | |
153 | SW.tit, TONEPY.tit, ZOZY.tit | |
571975c0 GM |
154 | - leave the copyrights alone. |
155 | ||
156 | leim/MISC-DIC/CTLau-b5.html, CTLau.html, cangjie-table.b5, cangjie-table.cns, | |
d4c2a0cc | 157 | pinyin.map, ziranma.cin |
571975c0 GM |
158 | - leave the copyright alone. |
159 | ||
160 | leim/SKK-DIC/SKK-JISYO.L | |
161 | ja-dic/ja-dic.el | |
162 | (the latter is auto-generated from the former). Leave the copyright alone. | |
163 | ||
164 | lib-src/etags.c | |
165 | - this has a copyright Ken Arnold. We are still deciding what should | |
166 | be done here (see below). | |
167 | ||
168 | lib-src/getopt1.c, getopt_int.h | |
169 | - these are from the GNU C library. Leave the copyrights alone. | |
170 | ||
1fbfb0b5 GM |
171 | lisp/play/tetris.el |
172 | - no special rules about the copyright. We note here that we believe | |
173 | (2007/1) there is no problem with our use of the name "tetris" or | |
174 | the concept. | |
175 | rms: "My understanding is that game rules as such are not copyrightable." | |
176 | <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-01/msg00960.html> | |
177 | ||
571975c0 GM |
178 | lispref/doclicense.texi |
179 | man/doclicense.texi | |
180 | - leave the copyright alone in this imported file. | |
181 | ||
182 | lisp/net/tramp.el | |
183 | - there are also copyrights in the body of the file. Update these too. | |
184 | ||
185 | msdos/is_exec.c, sigaction.c | |
186 | - these files are copyright DJ Delorie. Leave the copyrights alone. | |
e496f32f GM |
187 | Leave the Eli Zaretskii copyright in is_exec.c alone. See the |
188 | msdos/README file for the legal history of these files. | |
571975c0 GM |
189 | |
190 | src/gmalloc.c | |
d4c2a0cc GM |
191 | - contains numerous copyrights from the GNU C library. Leave them alone. |
192 | ||
448adfb9 | 193 | src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h |
f5f4e20d GM |
194 | - see comments below. These files are OK to be released with Emacs |
195 | 22, but we may want to revisit them afterwards. | |
196 | ||
42285fc4 | 197 | [src/unexhp9k800.c - removed 2007/1/27] |
d4c2a0cc GM |
198 | [src/m/sr2k.h - removed 2007/1/27] |
199 | - First file removed due to legal uncertainties; second file removed | |
200 | due to dependency on first. Note that src/m/hp800.h is still needed on | |
201 | hp800 arch. | |
d881944f GM |
202 | NB we would like to re-add this file if we can. Please let us know |
203 | if you can clarify its legal status. | |
571975c0 | 204 | |
571975c0 | 205 | |
f5f4e20d GM |
206 | *** These are copyright issues that need not be fixed until after |
207 | Emacs 22 is released (though if they can be fixed before, that is | |
208 | obviously good): | |
05630abe GM |
209 | |
210 | ||
d4c2a0cc GM |
211 | Is it OK to just `cvs remove' a file for legal reasons, or is |
212 | something more drastic needed? A removed file is still available from | |
f5f4e20d GM |
213 | CVS, if suitable options are applied. (This CVS issue obviously does |
214 | not affect a release). | |
42285fc4 | 215 | rms: will ask lawyer |
d4c2a0cc GM |
216 | |
217 | ||
5aa27cc9 GM |
218 | Make sure that all files with non-standard copyrights or licenses are |
219 | noted in this file. | |
220 | ||
221 | ||
f5f4e20d GM |
222 | REMOVED etc/orgcard.tex, orgcard.ps |
223 | Re-add these files if an assignment is received from Rooke. | |
224 | ||
c14dd816 GM |
225 | etc/images |
226 | Image files from GTK, Gnome are under GPLv2 (no "or later"?). RMS will | |
227 | contact image authors in regards to future switch to v3. | |
228 | ||
f5f4e20d | 229 | |
448adfb9 | 230 | src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h |
f5f4e20d GM |
231 | On legal advice from Matt Norwood, the following comment was added |
232 | to these files in Feb 2007: | |
233 | ||
234 | The code here is forced by the interface, and is not subject to | |
235 | copyright, constituting the only possible expression of the | |
236 | algorithm in this format. | |
237 | ||
238 | With the addition of this notice, these files are OK for the | |
239 | upcoming Emacs-22 release. Post-release, we can revisit this issue | |
240 | and possibly add a list of all authors who have changed these files. | |
241 | (details in email from Matt Norwood to rms, 2007/02/03). | |
242 | ||
243 | ||
244 | REMOVED src/unexhp9k800.c | |
245 | - we would like to re-add this file if possible. Please let us know | |
246 | if you can clarify its legal status. | |
247 | http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00138.html | |
248 | ||
5752a45d CY |
249 | etc/BABYL |
250 | RMS: "The lawyer said we can keep BABYL." | |
f5f4e20d GM |
251 | |
252 | ||
253 | *** These are copyright issues still to be addressed: | |
254 | ||
255 | ||
256 | Maybe some relevant comments here? | |
257 | <http://groups.google.com/group/linux.debian.legal/browse_thread/thread/123547ea95437a1f> | |
258 | ||
259 | ||
571975c0 | 260 | All README (and other such files) that are non-trivial and were added |
e3e14128 | 261 | by Emacs developers need copyright statements and copying permissions. |
ac61a826 | 262 | lisp/term/README? |
e3e14128 GM |
263 | borderline "trivial" cases (see below)...? |
264 | These should use the standard GPL text (same as .el files), rather | |
265 | than the short notices we have been using till now. | |
266 | rms: "If a README file is under 60 lines long, using the long version | |
267 | might be ugly. Please tell me if you encounter one that is under 60 | |
268 | lines." | |
571975c0 GM |
269 | |
270 | ||
5aa27cc9 GM |
271 | etc/gnus-logo.eps, gnus-booklet.ps, gnus-refcard.ps |
272 | just to be safe, papers are on the way for the "Gnus logo", even | |
273 | though it is very similar to the already-assigned "Emacs logo". | |
274 | ||
275 | ||
fc0a1793 | 276 | etc/emacs.csh (+ maybe etc/DISTRIB?) |
5aa27cc9 GM |
277 | does rms want the older, simple license for this put back? If so, |
278 | what about emacs.bash? | |
279 | ||
280 | ||
571975c0 GM |
281 | etc/ms-kermit - no copyright, but ms-7bkermit has one |
282 | etc/e/eterm-color.ti - no copyright | |
283 | rms: "I think that is not copyrightable under the merger doctrine | |
284 | because the entries are all forced. At least that is the case in the | |
285 | US; I am not sure whether we can rely on that in general." | |
286 | ||
49a33502 | 287 | For the above files, mail sent from rms to Matthew Norwood |
571975c0 GM |
288 | asking what to do (via Eben Moglen), 2007/1/22 ("Copyright years"). |
289 | ||
290 | ||
5aa27cc9 GM |
291 | etc/TUTORIAL* |
292 | switch to GPL, or keep older license? | |
293 | ||
294 | ||
571975c0 GM |
295 | lib-src/etags.c - no 'k.* arnold' in copyright.list' |
296 | rms: "That is ok, in principle. I used free code released by Ken | |
297 | Arnold as the starting point. However, it may be that we need to get | |
298 | and insert whatever his license was for his code." | |
299 | ||
42285fc4 GM |
300 | - 1984 version of ctags, with no copyright, posted to net.sources: |
301 | http://groups.google.com/group/net.sources/msg/a21b6c21be12a98d | |
302 | ||
571975c0 GM |
303 | |
304 | lwlib/lwlib-int.h, lwlib.h - no copyright | |
305 | lwlib/Makefile.in, lwlib-utils.c, lwlib.c - copyright Lucid | |
306 | lwlib/lwlib-Xaw.c - copyright Chuck Thompson | |
307 | lwlib/lwlib.c - copyright Lucid, but FSF copyright was added in 2002 - | |
308 | was that correct? | |
309 | rms: "I asked Matthew Norwood about these, I believe." | |
310 | ||
311 | ||
571975c0 GM |
312 | oldXMenu/ |
313 | - should there be any FSF copyrights at all in here? Some were added | |
314 | in 2005, without licence notices. Was this right? | |
315 | oldXMenu/Makefile.in, Makefile, Imakefile, descrip.mms, insque.c | |
316 | - issues described in mail to rms, 2006/12/17. | |
317 | rms: "I have asked for lawyer's advice about these." | |
318 | ||
319 | ||
448adfb9 | 320 | src/gnu.h |
571975c0 GM |
321 | src/m/mips4.h, news-r6.h, news-risc.h, pmax.h |
322 | src/s/aix3-2.h, bsd386.h, hpux8.h, hpux9.h, irix4-0.h, irix5-0.h, | |
3c19e458 | 323 | isc2-2.h, netbsd.h, osf1.h, sol2-3.h, sunos4-0.h, usg5-4-2.h |
571975c0 GM |
324 | - all these (not obviously trivial) files are missing copyrights. |
325 | rms: "I should talk about these with Matthew Norwood." | |
cf164db2 GM |
326 | The current legal advice seems to be that we should attach FSF |
327 | copyright and GPL for the time being, then review post-release. But it | |
328 | is still under discussion. | |
e3e14128 GM |
329 | |
330 | \f | |
331 | This file is part of GNU Emacs. | |
332 | ||
333 | GNU Emacs is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify | |
334 | it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by | |
335 | the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) | |
336 | any later version. | |
337 | ||
338 | GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, | |
339 | but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of | |
340 | MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the | |
341 | GNU General Public License for more details. | |
342 | ||
343 | You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License | |
344 | along with GNU Emacs; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the | |
345 | Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, | |
346 | Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. |