Re: [GSWHackers] Re: OGo/GNUstep cooperation Re: Re[2]: Frameworks

[S.J.Chun]

Nit because I do think assigning copyright to FSF is important, but I am really 
curious on
that subject, I've asked :-) In this discussion, some people ask to do it, and 
Helge did not
make it clear(as far as I can see), and my personal curiosity makes me ask it. 
So please
calm down.

NeXT.

PS)
I've mistakenly mailed previous mail to public list, I just want to ask this 
personally to
Helge.

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Marco Scheurer <marco@sente.ch>
  To: NeXT <chunsj@embian.com>
  Cc: Helge Hess <helge.hess@opengroupware.org>,discuss GNUstep 
<discuss-gnustep@gnu.org>
  Sent: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 12:13:21 +0100
  Subject: Re: [GSWHackers] Re: OGo/GNUstep cooperation Re: Re[2]: Frameworks

  
  On Mar 8, 2004, at 3:08 PM, NeXT wrote:
  
  > I cannot help but to ask this question :-) Helge, do you or your 
  > comapny have any problem
  > in licensing or donating SOPE to FSF ? If so, we have to find another 
  > way(though I prefer
  > first method be possible...). I think SOPE to FSF will solve most 
  > problems during this
  > discussion. (I'm afraid that this is rather impossible, so the 
  > discussion comes here...)
  
  Why is assigning copyright to the FSF such a big deal? FYI, the 
  copyright for the Linux kernel source code is not assigned to the FSF, 
  and it does not seem to be a problem to hundreds of Linux contributors 
  or, as users, to many GNUSTEP developers.
  
  I could understand that if someone contributes to SOPE, he could ask to 
  keep the copyright on his contribution (or maybe assign it to the FSF) 
  if he doesn't want to give a blank check to Skyrix or Helge, but 
  otherwise I don't understand the fuss. I haven't seen that Helge asked 
  that contributions should be copyrighted by Skyrix (on the contrary, 
  his position is that you cannot transfer copyright).
  
  As the original author of the kit, Skyrix is certainly entitled to keep 
  it's copyright, which means they could decide to distribute the same 
  code to someone else with a different license, but it does not diminish 
  your rights under the GPL. And of course, if you make an important 
  contribution to SOPE, and you keep your copyright on it (or give it to 
  the FSF if you wish) then you would have leverage on how the whole kit 
  is distributed if it is to include your contribution.
  
  The only advantage of assigning the copyright to the FSF, is that the 
  FSF is supposed to be better prepared to enforce this right than the 
  original author or a random distributor. Let me just point out that 
  apparently Fyodor has been able to get SCO to stop distributing nmap, 
  while the FSF has not left a finger yet.
  
  (IANAL, just my 2 cents)
  
  marco
  
  Marco Scheurer
  Sen:te, Lausanne, Switzerland   http://www.sente.ch