Summary for the impatient:
-1. Don't add a file to Emacs written by someone other than yourself
-without thinking about the legal aspect (make sure they have an
-assignment, adjust the copyright statements in the file). NB the
-ChangeLog entry should be in the name of the author of the code, not
-the person who installs it.
-
-2. With images, add the legal info to a README file in the directory
+1. Don't add code to Emacs written by someone other than yourself
+without thinking about the legal aspect. Even if the changes are
+trivial, consider if they combine with previous changes by the same
+author to make a non-trivial total. If so, make sure they have an
+assignment. If adding a whole file adjust the copyright statements in
+the file.
+
+2. When installing code written by someone else, the ChangeLog entry
+should be in the name of the author of the code, not the person who
+installs it. I think it is helpful to put the author (if not yourself)
+in the CVS log as well; and to not install any of your own changes in
+the same commit.
+
+3. With images, add the legal info to a README file in the directory
containing the image.
-3. If you add a lot of text to a previously trivial file that had no
+4. If you add a lot of text to a previously trivial file that had no
legal notices, consider if you should add a copyright statement.
-4. Please don't just add an FSF copyright without checking that is the
+5. Please don't just add an FSF copyright without checking that is the
right thing to do.
mac/src/Emacs.r # resource 'vers'
src/emacs.c
- remember to change the latest copyright year in the --version output.
- [Post-release, will automate this like set-version does for version.]
+ `set-copyright' in admin.el will do all the above.
<top-level>/install-sh
lispintro/install-sh
src/m/news-r6.h
public domain, leave alone.
+etc/BABYL, ms-kermit
+ no notices (see below).
+
etc/edt-user.doc
- update BOTH notices in this file
etc/emacs.csh
- - keep simple license for this simple file
+ - written by Michael DeCorte, who has no assignment. But trivial
+ enough to not need license.
etc/future-bug
- doesn't need a humourless disclaimer, because Karl Fogel says we
licenses that they have. They are distributed with Emacs but they
are not part of Emacs."
+etc/HELLO
+ standard notices. Just a note that although the file itself is not
+ really copyrightable, in the wider context of it being part of
+ Emacs (and written by those with assignments), a standard notice is
+ fine.
+
etc/MAILINGLISTS
rms: simple license is fine for this file
Accordingly, in Feb 2007 we added a 1984 copyright for the
University of California and a revised BSD license. The terms of
this require that the full license details be available in binary
- distributions - hence the file etc/ETAGS.README.
+ distributions - hence the file etc/ETAGS.README. The fact that the
+ --version output just says "Copyright <year> FSF" is apparently OK
+ from a legal point of view.
lib-src/getopt1.c, getopt_int.h
- these are from the GNU C library. Leave the copyrights alone.
the concept.
rms: "My understanding is that game rules as such are not copyrightable."
<http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-01/msg00960.html>
+ rms: Legal advice is that we are ok and need not worry about this.
lispref/doclicense.texi
man/doclicense.texi
rms (2007/02/17): "lwlib is not assigned to the FSF; we don't consider
it part of Emacs. [...] Therefore non-FSF copyrights are ok in lwlib."
+NB don't change the GPL version used for lwlib .c and .h files (see
+below).
+
FSF copyrights should only appear in files which have undergone
non-trivial cumulative changes from the original versions in the Lucid
Widget Library. NB this means that if you make non-trivial changes to
As of Feb 2007, the following files are considered too trivial for
notices: lwlib-Xaw.h, lwlib-Xlw.h, lwlib-utils.h.
+The version of lwlib/ first installed in Emacs seems to be the same as
+that used in Lucid Emacs 19.8 (released 6-sep-93); except the two Xaw
+files, which did not appear till Athena support was added in Lucid
+Emacs 19.9. In Lucid Emacs 19.1, all files were under GPLv1 or later,
+but by Lucid Emacs 19.8, lwlib.c and xlwmenu.c had been switched to v2
+or later. These are the versions that were first installed in Emacs.
+So in GNU Emacs, these two files have been under v2 or later since
+1994.
+
+It seems that it was the intention of Lucid to use v1 or later
+(excepting the two files mentioned previously); so this is the license
+we have used when adding notices to code that did not have notices
+originally. Although we have the legal right to switch to v2 or later,
+rms prefers that we do not do so.
+
-msdos/is_exec.c, sigaction.c
- - these files are copyright DJ Delorie. Leave the copyrights alone.
- Leave the Eli Zaretskii copyright in is_exec.c alone. See the
- msdos/README file for the legal history of these files.
+man/*.texi - All manuals should be under GFDL, and should include a
+copy of it, so that they can be distributed separately. faq.texi has
+a different license, for some reason no-one can remember.
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-04/msg00583.html
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-04/msg00618.html
+
+
+msdos/is_exec.c, sigaction.c - these files are copyright DJ Delorie.
+Leave the copyrights alone. Leave the Eli Zaretskii copyright in
+is_exec.c alone. See the msdos/README file for the legal history of
+these files.
oldXMenu/
- see comments below. These files are OK to be released with Emacs
22, but we may want to revisit them afterwards.
-[src/unexhp9k800.c - removed 2007/1/27]
-[src/m/sr2k.h - removed 2007/1/27]
- - First file removed due to legal uncertainties; second file removed
- due to dependency on first. Note that src/m/hp800.h is still needed on
- hp800 arch.
- NB we would like to re-add this file if we can. Please let us know
- if you can clarify its legal status.
-
** Some notes on resolved issues, for historical information only
+etc/TERMS
+rms: "surely written either by me or by ESR. (If you can figure out
+which year, I can probably tell you which.) Either way, we have papers
+for it." It was present in Emacs-16.56 (15-jul-85). rms: "Then I
+conclude it was written by me."
+
+etc/ulimit.hack
+ Very obsolete file removed March 2007. Doesn't say who the author
+is, but web-search suggests Karl Kleinpaste, who has no Emacs
+assignment. Trivial anyway.
+http://groups.google.com/group/comp.unix.shell/browse_thread/thread/bf3df496994\
+9f1df/7e5922c67b3a98fb
+http://groups.google.com/group/comp.unix.questions/msg/cc7e49cacfd1ccb4
+ (original 1987 source)
+
lisp/term/README
- had no copyright notice till Feb 2007. ChangeLog.3 suggests it was
written by Eric Raymond. When asked by rms on 14 Feb 2007 he said:
Accordingly, FSF copyright was added.
+src/unexhp9k800.c (and dependent src/m/sr2k.h)
+ http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00138.html
+ - briefly removed due to legal uncertainly Jan-Mar 2007. The
+ relevant assignment is under "hp9k800" in copyright.list. File was
+ written by John V. Morris at HP, and disclaimed by the author and
+ HP. So this file is public domain.
+
+
+K Rodgers changes
+ It was pointed out that K Rodgers only had assigments for VC and
+ ps-print, but had changed several other files. We tried to contact
+ him for a general assignment, but he proved uncommunicative (despite
+ initially indicating to rms he would sign an assignment). As a result, his
+ changes were removed and/or rewritten independently. For details, see
+ threads:
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-04/msg00225.html
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-04/msg00257.html
+
+ But then an assignment arrived before the release of Emacs 22:
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-04/msg01427.html
+
+
+lisp/progmodes/python.el
+Dave Love alerted us to a potential legal problem:
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-pretest-bug/2007-04/msg00459.html
+
+On consultation with a lawyer, we found there was no problem:
+http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-05/msg00466.html
+
** Issues that are "fixed" for the release of Emacs 22, but we may
wish to revisit later in more detail
admin/check-doc-strings
File says it's in the public domain, but that might not make it so.
+etc/BABYL
+ File written long ago by authors with no assignment. Keep them
+ without notices for now, try and contact authors if possible. Be
+ ready to remove these files if the authors ever object.
+etc/ms-kermit
etc/e/eterm-color.ti
src/acldef.h, chpdef.h, ndir.h
On legal advice from Matt Norwood, the following comment was added
- to these files in Feb 2007:
+ to these files in Feb/Mar 2007:
The code here is forced by the interface, and is not subject to
copyright, constituting the only possible expression of the
and possibly add a list of all authors who have changed these files.
(details in email from Matt Norwood to rms, 2007/02/03).
+etc/ms-7bkermit
+ Says it was written by Andy Lowry and Joel Spolsky. No entry for
+either in copyright.list. NB this file is not "constrained" like
+ms-kermit (rms: "We know it isn't. A comment at the front says it has
+other bindings which might be handy."). File removed March 2007.
+Re-add if clear up status at some point.
+
+etc/Xkeymap.txt
+ No info on author. File removed March 2007. rms: "It says it is
+RLK's way of remapping his keyboard, so it is not constrained. I think
+it was written by RLK. Let's delete it; if we contact RLK again, we
+can put it back." Actually, RLK == Robert Krawitz has an Emacs
+assignment. So this could be restored if it is still useful, but Jan Djärv
+says it is obsolete:
+<http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-03/msg00673.html>
src/m/mips4.h, news-risc.h, pmax.h
src/s/aix3-2.h, bsd386.h, hpux8.h, hpux9.h, irix4-0.h, irix5-0.h,
Emacs 22 is released (though if they can be fixed before, that is
obviously good):
-Maybe some relevant comments here?
-<http://groups.google.com/group/linux.debian.legal/browse_thread/thread/123547ea95437a1f>
-
Is it OK to just `cvs remove' a file for legal reasons, or is
something more drastic needed? A removed file is still available from
noted in this file.
-etc/BABYL
- File says it was written in 1983 by Eugene Ciccarelli, who has no
- assignment. RMS: "The lawyer said we can keep BABYL."
-
-
REMOVED etc/gnu.xpm, nt/icons/emacs21.ico, nt/icons/sink.ico
- Restore if find legal info. emacs21.ico is not due to Davenport.
- Voelker could not immediately recall anything, but will check and
- let us know if he finds anything.
+ Geoff Voelker checked but could not find a record of where it came
+ from.
etc/images
contact image authors in regards to future switch to v3.
-REMOVED src/unexhp9k800.c
- - we would like to re-add this file if possible. Please let us know
- if you can clarify its legal status.
- http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-02/msg00138.html
+etc/TUTORIAL* (translations)
+ switch to GPL (see english TUTORIAL)
+ rms: "We can leave the TUTORIAL translations alone until their
+ maintainers update them."
+ Can adapt short license text from end of GPL translations at:
+ http://www.gnu.org/licenses/translations.html
+ Only a few sentences around the license notice need changing from
+ previous version.
+Done: TUTORIAL.eo
*** These are copyright issues still to be addressed:
-NB apart from switching the TUTORIALs to GPL, I think there is nothing
-here that anyone can work on without further input from rms.
+None known.
-etc/gnus-logo.eps, gnus-booklet.ps, gnus-refcard.ps
- just to be safe, papers are on the way for the "Gnus logo", even
- though it is very similar to the already-assigned "Emacs logo".
+** NOTES ON RELICENSING TO GPL3
+The EMACS_22_BASE branch was changed to GPLv3 (or later) 2007/07/25.
-etc/ms-kermit - no copyright, but ms-7bkermit has one
+Some notes:
+(see http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-07/msg01431.html)
+1. There are some files in Emacs CVS which are not part of Emacs (eg
+those included from Gnulib). These are all copyright FSF and (at time
+of writing) GPL >= 2. rms says may as well leave the licenses of these
+alone (may import them from Gnulib again). These are:
-etc/TUTORIAL* (translations)
- switch to GPL (see english TUTORIAL)
- rms: "We can leave the TUTORIAL translations alone until their
- maintainers update them."
- Can adapt short license text from end of GPL translations at:
- http://www.gnu.org/licenses/translations.html
- Only a few sentences around the license notice need changing from
- previous version.
-Done: TUTORIAL.eo
+ Gnulib:
+ src/getloadavg.c
+ src/gmalloc.c
+ src/md5.c
+ src/md5.h
+ src/mktime.c
+ src/strftime.c
+ src/termcap.c
+ src/tparam.c
+
+ Others:
+ config.guess
+ config.sub
+ lispintro/missing
+ man/texinfo.tex
+
+Note _not_ included in the above are src/regex.{c,h} (rms: "That
+forked version is only in Emacs, so definitely relicense that."), and
+oldXMenu/insque.c (rms: "We wrote that specifically for Emacs, so
+definitely relicense that.").
+
+2. The files that are copyright FSF and AIST, or AIST alone, should be
+and were updated, ditto the oldXMenu files with FSF copyright, and
+msdos/is_exec.c and sigaction.c.
+
+3. lwlib/
+
+Files originally in Lucid Widget Library were left alone (excludes
+ChangeLog, etc), ie remain under GPL v1 or later, or v2 or later.
+(rms: "We may as well leave this alone, since we are never going to
+change it much.")
+
+4. There are some files where the FSF holds no copyright. These were
+left alone:
+ leim/MISC-DIC/CTLau-b5.html >= v2
+ leim/MISC-DIC/CTLau.html >= v2
+ (above included in lisp/international/titdic-cnv.el)
+ leim/MISC-DIC/pinyin.map >= v1
+ leim/MISC-DIC/ziranma.cin >= v1
+ leim/SKK-DIC/SKK-JISYO.L >= v2
+ leim/SKK-DIC/README >= v2
+ leim/ja-dic/ja-dic.el >= v2
-lwlib/*
- should it be under GPLv1 or later, or v2 or later, or some mixture?
+5. At time of writing, some non-Emacs icons included from Gnome remain
+under GPLv2 (no "or later"). See:
+ etc/images/gnus/README
+ etc/images/mail/README
+ etc/images/README
+ nt/icons/README
\f
This file is part of GNU Emacs.
GNU Emacs is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option)
any later version.
GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,