[antlr-interest] licensing stuff

[Robert Colquhoun]

Hello Terence,

At 06:09 AM 6/02/2004, Terence Parr wrote:
>Anyway, there is no good solution.  The more we tighten up BSD or some
>other license, the more it will become necessary to consult the devil
>to use the software!  I hate this issue. :(  I've been wondering how to
>build a formal contributors list for 3.0 and perhaps we can add wording
>explicitly transferring ownership to me so that I can say I don't own
>it.  Bizarre.  After these sorts of discussions, it makes me want to do
>every line of code myself for 3.0.

For what its worth the gnu project have some info on this:
         http://www.gnu.org/prep/maintain_4.html#SEC4

They make you sign a document assigning copyright to the fsf before you can 
submit a patch.  Or alternatively sign and fax a doc saying you are 
releasing the code into the public domain.

For my project i just asked anyone who sent me a patch to explicitly say 
in  email that they were licensing it to me under the project license.  Did 
not think it was right to ask other people to assign their copyright to me 
and to be honest could not be bothered with asking everyone to fax me a doc 
with a signature saying they were licensing the code under the project license.

I also had trouble in one case where somebody did a patch at work but 
didn't or couldn't get the permission of their employer.  I could not 
include the patch which was frustrating.

If i was in your position i would keep track of new contributors in a file 
somewhere and include their name & email in the comments when adding their 
code to source control.  First time they give you a patch maybe ask them 
explicitly "Is this code ok being put into the public domain?"

PS Does the lawyer who started this realise BEA have being shipping 
weblogic for years with antlr included?

  - Robert



 
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