Re: [git-multimail] License unknown (#1)

Re: [git-multimail] License unknown (#1)

[Michael Haggerty]

I have a question about the license of contrib/hooks/post-commit-email.
 I had assumed that since it is in the git project, which is GPLv2, and
since it contains no contrary information, it would by implication also
fall under GPLv2.  But the file itself contains no explicit license
information, and it is not clear to me that the "signed-off-by" line
implies a particular license, either.  (The signed-off-by *does* seem to
imply that the source code is under some kind of open source license,
but not which one.)

If somebody can explain what license the code is under and how they come
to that conclusion, I would be very grateful.

And if Andy Parkins (the original author) is listening, please indicate
whether you had any intent *other* than GPLv2.

For anybody who is interested, the file was first committed in
4557e0de5b and has been modified by several authors since then.

Given the pretty clear open-sourciness of the script, I don't think this
has to be made into a big issue.  But it would be nice to state the
license explicitly for future users' information.

Thanks,
Michael

On 01/27/2013 02:38 PM, Michiel Holtkamp wrote:
> Actually, I'm not sure that it is GPLv2 for the original script. The
> COPYING file in the main project declares the project as GPLv2, but it
> also says that people contributing should make their preferences (for
> licensing) known. Maybe we can assume it's GPLv2, (as the original
> writer might have assumed it was GPLv2), but it's not explicitly stated
> so I'm not sure (IANAL).

-- 
Michael Haggerty
mhagger@alum.mit.edu
http://softwareswirl.blogspot.com/

Re: Fwd: Re: [git-multimail] License unknown (#1)

[Andy Parkins]

On Tuesday 12 February 2013 09:01:14 Michael Haggerty wrote:

> I assume you are the Andy Parkins who originally submitted
> post-commit-email to the Git project...

I am indeed.  Hello.

> I have derived another script from yours:
> 
>     https://github.com/mhagger/git-multimail
> 
> I affixed the GPLv2 boilerplate to the code under the assumption that it
> inherited this license from the Git project.  But afterwards I realized
> that I am not entirely confident that the GPLv2 applies to
> post-commit-email.

I'm sorry, that's entirely my fault.  I had read somewhere in the git 
submission policy that everything submitted was naturally under the same 
license as git itself.
 
> Obviously the situation is even more complicated because other people
> have contributed patches to the script since your original submission.
> But it would nevertheless be very helpful if you would clarify your
> original intention, *especially* if your intention was to put the script
> under a license different than GPLv2.

My intention was to put my code under exactly the license the git itself is 
under.  I am delighted for you or anyone else to use or derive from it.

I'm also sorry I didn't respond to your first email, it accidentally got 
sorted into spam.

If anyone wants some sort of legal declaration, I'm happy to give it.

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [git-multimail] License unknown (#1)
> Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:52:58 +0100
> From: Michael Haggerty <mhagger@alum.mit.edu>
> To: git discussion list <git@vger.kernel.org>,  Andy Parkins
> <andyparkins@gmail.com>
> CC: mhagger/git-multimail
> <reply+i-10159725-60cb2c338c594bd09d77fe2f8d628aa55114a3f6-119718@reply.git
> hub.com>, Michiel Holtkamp <notifications@github.com>
> 
> I have a question about the license of contrib/hooks/post-commit-email.
>  I had assumed that since it is in the git project, which is GPLv2, and
> since it contains no contrary information, it would by implication also
> fall under GPLv2.  But the file itself contains no explicit license
> information, and it is not clear to me that the "signed-off-by" line
> implies a particular license, either.  (The signed-off-by *does* seem to
> imply that the source code is under some kind of open source license,
> but not which one.)
> 
> If somebody can explain what license the code is under and how they come
> to that conclusion, I would be very grateful.
> 
> And if Andy Parkins (the original author) is listening, please indicate
> whether you had any intent *other* than GPLv2.
> 
> For anybody who is interested, the file was first committed in
> 4557e0de5b and has been modified by several authors since then.
> 
> Given the pretty clear open-sourciness of the script, I don't think this
> has to be made into a big issue.  But it would be nice to state the
> license explicitly for future users' information.
> 
> Thanks,
> Michael
> 
> On 01/27/2013 02:38 PM, Michiel Holtkamp wrote:
> > Actually, I'm not sure that it is GPLv2 for the original script. The
> > COPYING file in the main project declares the project as GPLv2, but it
> > also says that people contributing should make their preferences (for
> > licensing) known. Maybe we can assume it's GPLv2, (as the original
> > writer might have assumed it was GPLv2), but it's not explicitly stated
> > so I'm not sure (IANAL).

-- 
Dr Andy Parkins
Director
FussyLogic Ltd

tel:  0845 557 7645

web:  www.fussylogic.co.uk

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Re: [git-multimail] License unknown (#1)

[Andy Parkins]

On Sunday 27 January 2013 18:52:58 Michael Haggerty wrote:
> I have a question about the license of contrib/hooks/post-commit-email.
>  I had assumed that since it is in the git project, which is GPLv2, and
> since it contains no contrary information, it would by implication also
> fall under GPLv2.  But the file itself contains no explicit license
> information, and it is not clear to me that the "signed-off-by" line
> implies a particular license, either.  (The signed-off-by *does* seem to
> imply that the source code is under some kind of open source license,
> but not which one.)

Keeping up with the git mailing list got a bit much, but my original filters 
to sort messages from it into a (now hidden) folder where still in place.  
Michael contacted me independently, which was enough of a prod to see this.

My apologies to everyone; I've been lax supporting the script -- I never 
really expected it to be as widely used as it has been, I was always expecting 
someone would come along and replace it so I'm pleased that Michael has done 
so (although it's a little disheartening to read of it being called "hacky", 
when I tried very hard to make it as clear and modular as I could).

> If somebody can explain what license the code is under and how they come
> to that conclusion, I would be very grateful.
> 
> And if Andy Parkins (the original author) is listening, please indicate
> whether you had any intent *other* than GPLv2.

I intended it to be under the same license as Git.  I had read in one of the 
patch submission files (which I can't seem to find now) that all submissions 
were considered part of git.

> For anybody who is interested, the file was first committed in
> 4557e0de5b and has been modified by several authors since then.

I haven't looked at it for a long time.  I can't speak for the other authors, 
but for any part of it that is still mine -- anyone is free to do anything 
they wish with it.

> Given the pretty clear open-sourciness of the script, I don't think this
> has to be made into a big issue.  But it would be nice to state the
> license explicitly for future users' information.

If an explicit declaration is needed, I am happy to give it.  Let me know what 
form this should take and I'll supply it.



Andy

-- 
Dr Andy Parkins
andyparkins@gmail.com

Re: [git-multimail] License unknown (#1)

[Michael Haggerty]

On 02/12/2013 04:28 PM, Andy Parkins wrote:
> On Sunday 27 January 2013 18:52:58 Michael Haggerty wrote:
>> I have a question about the license of contrib/hooks/post-commit-email.
>> [...]
> 
> Keeping up with the git mailing list got a bit much, [...]

Very understandable :-)

> My apologies to everyone; I've been lax supporting the script -- I never 
> really expected it to be as widely used as it has been, I was always expecting 
> someone would come along and replace it so I'm pleased that Michael has done 
> so (although it's a little disheartening to read of it being called "hacky", 
> when I tried very hard to make it as clear and modular as I could).

FWIW I think the script was quite well-structured (within the
limitations of shell scripting anyway) and I had no problem
understanding it and translating it to Python.

>> If somebody can explain what license the code is under and how they come
>> to that conclusion, I would be very grateful.
>>
>> And if Andy Parkins (the original author) is listening, please indicate
>> whether you had any intent *other* than GPLv2.
> 
> I intended it to be under the same license as Git.  I had read in one of the 
> patch submission files (which I can't seem to find now) that all submissions 
> were considered part of git.

Thanks.  Given that you submitted the original version under GPLv2, and
later contributors certainly had no reason to assume any *other*
license, I think any reasonable person will be satisfied that the whole
script in its current form is under GPLv2.

> If an explicit declaration is needed, I am happy to give it.  Let me know what 
> form this should take and I'll supply it.

Personally, I am satisfied by your email statement.  I will leave the
derived work, git-multimail, also under GPLv2.  Assuming that
git-multimail supersedes yours, its explicit choice of license will make
the situation clear for future users.

Thanks!
Michael

-- 
Michael Haggerty
mhagger@alum.mit.edu
http://softwareswirl.blogspot.com/