Re: New FS driver (and support for a new OS).

[Kurt Skauen]

Gordon Matzigkeit <address@hidden> writes:

> >>>>> Kurt Skauen writes:
> 
>  KS> Does this mean that I'm not allowed to use this code in any other
>  KS> projects I might desire unless the entire project is under GPL?
>  KS> That I'm not allowed to later release the same code under another
>  KS> licence?
> 
> Yes, to both counts.
> 
>  KS> I must say that even though it aint that important with this tiny
>  KS> project, I am in principiell *strongly* against this.
> 
> Although Okuji's reply was quite strong, the actual requirements are
> much less.  You may have noted that I said ``if this is what you want
> to do'' at the end of my mail.
> 
> Assigning your copyright to the FSF is purely an *option* when it
> comes to GRUB.  If it is what you want, then you should do it.
> 
> On the other hand, if it is not what you want, then your name will be
> kept in the copyright line of the files you made changes to.
> 
> Even RMS agrees that for GRUB it is not necessary to assign copyright
> (mainly because it is an adopted GNU project, originally written by
> Erich Boleyn, who still holds his individual copyright).  Okuji and I
> (and several others) simply prefer assignments, because it is what we
> have done, and I feel it has other advantages (simplicity of
> attribution and stronger legal defense).
> 
>  KS> I think it is *very* rude to require that I give away all the
>  KS> rights to my code.
> 
> Yes, that would be rude.  But nobody is *requiring* anything.  Okuji
> and I currently disagree on the particulars: he would include your
> work only if it has been assigned, I would include your work if its
> license is compatible with the GPL (whether or not you have assigned,
> but I prefer assignments).
> 
> So, my current position is that I will include your work, but
> encourage you to consider an assigment.
> 
>  KS> I whould like some more info about this before I agree.
> 
> Feel free to write me personally if you want to discuss this more.  I
> should have made a personal reply to begin with, but ended up sending
> my note to the mailing list.

The more I think the more certain I'm that I will never give away the
copyright of my code to FSF (I shiver by the idea of even proposing
it). I'm glad to see that the patches might still be accepted. The
driver will ofcourse be GPL'ed and even though I want to keep the
rights to do whatever I want with my version of the driver the GPL
will guarantee that the version that goes into GRUB and any
modification done to that by others remain free, I don't need FSF to
guarantee that. If someone want to "steal" the driver I seriously
doubth that FSF whould care anyway.

>  KS> "There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those
>  KS> who take credit. Try to be in the first group, there is less
>  KS> competition there." __ Indira Gandhi
> 
> There are also the kinds of people who insist in dividing other people
> up into groups.  On second thought, maybe everybody does that. ;)

There is a story behind that signature, but I won't tell about that
here :)

-- 
Kurt Skauen. ( http://www.atheos.cx/ )

"There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take
credit. Try to be in the first group, there is less competition there." __
Indira Gandhi