1 Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
2 See the end of the file for license conditions.
5 NOTES ON COPYRIGHTS AND LICENSES
9 A "copyright notice" consists of one or a few lines of this format:
10 "Copyright (C) 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc."
12 A "license notice" is a statement of permissions, and is usually much
13 longer, eg the text "GNU Emacs is free software...".
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
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.
28 However, here is a quote from Matt Norwood (Software Freedom Law
29 Center) that suggests we should revise the above policy about trivial
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.
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
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.
57 NB consequently, if you add a lot of text to a small file, consider
58 whether your changes have made the file worthy of a copyright notice,
59 and if so, please add one.
61 The years in the copyright notice should be updated every year (see
62 file "years" in this directory). The PS versions of refcards etc
63 should display copyright notices (an exception to the rule about
64 "generated" files), but these can just display the latest year. The
65 full list of years should be kept in comments in the source file. If
66 these are distributed in CVS, check in a regenerated version when the
67 tex files are updated.
69 Copyright changes should be propagated to any associated repositories
70 (eg Gnus, MH-E), but I think in every case this happens automatically
73 All README (and other such text files) that are non-trivial should
74 contain copyright statements and GPL license notices, exactly as .el
75 files do (see e.g. README in the top-level directory). (Before 2007,
76 we used a simple, short statement permitting copying and modification
77 provided legal notices were retained. In Feb 2007 we switched to the
78 standard GPL text, on legal advice.)
80 For image files, the copyright and license details should be recorded
81 in a README file in each directory with images. (Legal advice says
82 that we need not add notices to each image file individually, if they
83 allow for that.). It is recommended to use the word "convert" to
84 describe the automatic process of changing an image from one format to
85 another (http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00618.html).
88 When installing a file with an "unusual" license (after checking first
89 it is ok), put a copy of the copyright and license in the file (if
90 possible. It's ok if this makes the file incompatible with its
91 original format, if it can still be used by Emacs), or in a README
92 file in the relevant directory.
94 The vast majority of files are copyright FSF and distributed under the
95 GPL. A few files (mainly related to language and charset support) are
96 copyright AIST alone, or both AIST and FSF. (Contact Kenichi Handa
97 with questions about legal issues in such files.) In all these cases,
98 the copyright years in each file should be updated each year.
100 There are some exceptions to the points in the previous paragraph, and
101 these are listed below for reference, together with any files where
102 the copyright needs to be updated in "unusual" ways.
104 If you find any other such cases, please consult to check they are ok,
105 and note them in this file. This includes missing copyright notices,
106 and "odd" copyright holders. In most cases, individual authors should
107 not appear in copyright statements. Either the copyright has been
108 assigned (check copyright.list) to the FSF (in which case the original
109 author should be removed and the year(s) transferred to the FSF); or
110 else it is possible the file should not be in Emacs at all (please
113 Note that it seems painfully clear that one cannot rely on CVS logs,
114 or even ChangeLogs, for older changes. People often installed changes
115 from others, without recording the true authorship.
117 [For reference, most of these points were established via email with
118 rms, 2007/1, "Copyright years".]
121 lib-src/etags.c # print_version
122 lib-src/rcs2log # Copyright
123 lisp/calc/calc-help.el # calc-full-help
124 lisp/startup.el # fancy-splash-tail
125 mac/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings
126 mac/src/Emacs.r # resource 'vers'
128 - remember to change the latest copyright year in the --version output.
129 [Post-release, will automate this like set-version does for version.]
131 <top-level>/install-sh
133 - this file is copyright MIT, which is OK. Leave the copyright alone.
135 admin/check-doc-strings
137 public domain, leave alone.
140 - update BOTH notices in this file
142 etc/letter.pbm,letter.xpm
143 - trivial, no notice needed.
144 <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00324.html>
147 - trivial (at time of writing), no license needed
149 etc/GNU, INTERVIEW, LINUX-GNU, MOTIVATION, SERVICE, THE-GNU-PROJECT,
151 rms: "These are statements of opinion or testimony. Their licenses
152 should permit verbatim copying only. Please don't change the
153 licenses that they have. They are distributed with Emacs but they
154 are not part of Emacs."
157 rms: simple license is fine for this file
159 leim/CXTERM-DIC/4Corner.tit, ARRAY30.tit, CCDOSPY.tit, ECDICT.tit,
160 ETZY.tit, PY-b5.tit, Punct-b5.tit, Punct.tit, QJ-b5.tit, QJ.tit,
161 SW.tit, TONEPY.tit, ZOZY.tit
162 - leave the copyrights alone.
164 leim/MISC-DIC/CTLau-b5.html, CTLau.html, cangjie-table.b5, cangjie-table.cns,
165 pinyin.map, ziranma.cin
166 - leave the copyright alone.
168 leim/SKK-DIC/SKK-JISYO.L
170 (the latter is auto-generated from the former). Leave the copyright alone.
173 - this has a copyright Ken Arnold. We are still deciding what should
174 be done here (see below).
176 lib-src/getopt1.c, getopt_int.h
177 - these are from the GNU C library. Leave the copyrights alone.
180 - no special rules about the copyright. We note here that we believe
181 (2007/1) there is no problem with our use of the name "tetris" or
183 rms: "My understanding is that game rules as such are not copyrightable."
184 <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-01/msg00960.html>
186 lispref/doclicense.texi
188 - leave the copyright alone in this imported file.
191 - there are also copyrights in the body of the file. Update these too.
193 msdos/is_exec.c, sigaction.c
194 - these files are copyright DJ Delorie. Leave the copyrights alone.
195 Leave the Eli Zaretskii copyright in is_exec.c alone. See the
196 msdos/README file for the legal history of these files.
199 - contains numerous copyrights from the GNU C library. Leave them alone.
201 src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h
202 - see comments below. These files are OK to be released with Emacs
203 22, but we may want to revisit them afterwards.
205 [src/unexhp9k800.c - removed 2007/1/27]
206 [src/m/sr2k.h - removed 2007/1/27]
207 - First file removed due to legal uncertainties; second file removed
208 due to dependency on first. Note that src/m/hp800.h is still needed on
210 NB we would like to re-add this file if we can. Please let us know
211 if you can clarify its legal status.
214 ** Some notes on resolved issues, for historical information only
217 *** These are copyright issues that need not be fixed until after
218 Emacs 22 is released (though if they can be fixed before, that is
222 Is it OK to just `cvs remove' a file for legal reasons, or is
223 something more drastic needed? A removed file is still available from
224 CVS, if suitable options are applied. (This CVS issue obviously does
225 not affect a release).
229 Make sure that all files with non-standard copyrights or licenses are
234 File says it was written in 1983 by Eugene Ciccarelli, who has no
235 assignment. RMS: "The lawyer said we can keep BABYL."
241 Has Andrew Zhilin's 2005-11 assignment been correctly noted in
242 copyright.list? Mail sent to fsf-records.
243 http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2005-11/msg00349.html
246 REMOVED etc/orgcard.tex, orgcard.ps
247 Re-add these files if an assignment is received from Rooke.
251 Image files from GTK, Gnome are under GPLv2 (no "or later"?). RMS will
252 contact image authors in regards to future switch to v3.
255 src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h
256 On legal advice from Matt Norwood, the following comment was added
257 to these files in Feb 2007:
259 The code here is forced by the interface, and is not subject to
260 copyright, constituting the only possible expression of the
261 algorithm in this format.
263 With the addition of this notice, these files are OK for the
264 upcoming Emacs-22 release. Post-release, we can revisit this issue
265 and possibly add a list of all authors who have changed these files.
266 (details in email from Matt Norwood to rms, 2007/02/03).
269 REMOVED src/unexhp9k800.c
270 - we would like to re-add this file if possible. Please let us know
271 if you can clarify its legal status.
272 http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00138.html
275 *** These are copyright issues still to be addressed:
277 NB apart from switching the TUTORIALs to GPL, I think there is nothing
278 here that anyone can work on without further input from rms.
281 Maybe some relevant comments here?
282 <http://groups.google.com/group/linux.debian.legal/browse_thread/thread/123547ea95437a1f>
285 All non-trivial README (and other such files) need copyright and
286 license statements. Use GPL in most cases, rather than the short
287 notices we have been using till now. NB but see above for some
288 exceptions in etc/ that should stay unchanged.
289 rms: "If a README file is under 60 lines long, using the long version
290 [of the GPL notice] might be ugly. Please tell me if you encounter one
291 that is under 60 lines."
293 lisp/term/README (ChangeLog.3 suggests was written by Eric Raymond)
294 borderline "trivial" cases
297 etc/gnus-logo.eps, gnus-booklet.ps, gnus-refcard.ps
298 just to be safe, papers are on the way for the "Gnus logo", even
299 though it is very similar to the already-assigned "Emacs logo".
303 does rms want simple license restored for this?
306 etc/ms-kermit - no copyright, but ms-7bkermit has one
307 etc/e/eterm-color.ti - no copyright
308 rms: "I think that is not copyrightable under the merger doctrine
309 because the entries are all forced. At least that is the case in the
310 US; I am not sure whether we can rely on that in general."
314 switch to GPL. Depending on how rms wants this done, this may
315 require the translators.
318 lib-src/etags.c - no 'k.* arnold' in copyright.list'
319 rms: "That is ok, in principle. I used free code released by Ken
320 Arnold as the starting point. However, it may be that we need to get
321 and insert whatever his license was for his code."
325 - 1984 version of ctags, with no copyright, posted to net.sources:
326 http://groups.google.com/group/net.sources/msg/a21b6c21be12a98d
330 copyright Chuck Thompson; but under GPL, so OK?
332 lwlib/lwlib-Xlw.c, lwlib-Xm.c, lwlib-Xm.h, xlwmenu.c
333 copyright lucid and FSF, but under GPL, so OK?
334 FSF copyrights were added in 200x, was that right?
336 lwlib/lwlib-int.h, lwlib.h, lwlib-Xaw.h, lwlib-Xlw.h, lwlib-utils.h
337 no copyright. last three trivial?
338 suspect these must have been part of the "Lucid Widget Library",
339 which is under GPL. Can't find an original version of this to check.
342 "some parts" copyright Lucid, no license
344 lwlib/lwlib-utils.c, lwlib.c
345 copyright Lucid, Inc; but under GPL, so OK?
347 lwlib/xlwmenu.h, xlwmenuP.h
348 part of 'Lucid Widget Library', but only FSF copyright (when files
349 were first checked into RCS, there were no copyrights). Was it right
350 to add FSF copyright?
351 should we add a 1992 Lucid copyright?
355 1) ensure all files that were originally in the "Lucid Widget
356 Library" have 1992 Lucid copyright?
357 2) add or remove FSF copyrights to any files we have made non-trivial
358 changes to since 1992?
362 - should there be any FSF copyrights at all in here? Some were added
363 in 2005, without licence notices. Was this right?
364 Eg don't think copyright.h should have FSF copyright!
365 Should add copyright details for X11R1 to the README file. (see
366 copyright.h). I suggest we remove copyright.h and add the notices
367 directly into the files.
370 The general issue is, as with some of the Lucid code in lwlib, suppose
371 file foo.c is Copyright (C) 2000 John Smith, and released under the
372 GPL. We check it into Emacs CVS and make non-trivial changes to it.
373 Should we add a FSF copyright or not? Can we add such a notice as soon
374 as we check it check it in to CVS?
377 oldXMenu/Makefile.in, Makefile, Imakefile, descrip.mms, insque.c
378 - issues described in mail to rms, 2006/12/17.
379 rms: "I have asked for lawyer's advice about these."
382 src/m/mips4.h, news-risc.h, pmax.h
383 src/s/aix3-2.h, bsd386.h, hpux8.h, hpux9.h, irix4-0.h, irix5-0.h,
384 isc2-2.h, netbsd.h, osf1.h, sol2-3.h, sunos4-0.h, usg5-4-2.h
385 - all these (not obviously trivial) files are missing copyrights.
386 rms: "I should talk about these with Matthew Norwood."
387 The current legal advice seems to be that we should attach FSF
388 copyright and GPL for the time being, then review post-release:
391 For now, I think the best policy is to assume that we do have
392 assignments from the authors (I recall many of these header files
393 as having been originally written by rms), and to attach an FSF
394 copyright with GPL notice. We can amend this if and when we
395 complete the code audit. Any additions to these files by
396 non-assigned authors are arguably "de minimis" contributions to
397 Emacs: small changes or suggestions to a work that are subsumed in
398 the main authors' copyright in the entire work.
403 might be trivial? started trivial, been added to in tiny changes by
404 those with FSF assignment, often result of email suggestions by others.
407 started trivial. Grown by tiny additions, plus chunk
408 from mips.h, which was and is Copyright FSF
411 started trivial. grown in tiny changes, except for maybe Jim Wilson's
415 I would say started non-trivial (1992, rms). only tiny changes since
419 I would say started non-trivial (1993, jimb, heavily based
420 on irix4-0.h). A few borderline non-tiny changes since.
423 started trivial. 2 non-tiny change, in 1993. looks to
424 be made up of several small tweaks from various sources. maybe
425 non-tiny total changes from Karl Berry (no emacs assignment).
428 started trivial. grown in tiny changes (one borderline tiny change
429 by fx in 2000, but most code was later removed). non-tiny addition
430 in 2002 from m/alpha.h, but that was and is copyright FSF.
433 started non-trivial, but was heavily based on usg5-4.h, which was and is
434 copyright FSF. only tiny changes since installed.
437 started trivial. only non-tiny change (1994) incorporated code from
438 usg5-4.h, which was and is copyright FSF.
440 aix3-2.h, bsd386.h, hpux8.h, hpux9.h, netbsd.h, sunos4-0.h
441 started trivial, grown in tiny changes.
445 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
447 GNU Emacs is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
448 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
449 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
452 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
453 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
454 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
455 GNU General Public License for more details.
457 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
458 along with GNU Emacs; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
459 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
460 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.