Thread: Re: [COMMITTERS] pgsql: sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL

petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>

It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
assignment out of the author.
        regards, tom lane

Tom Lane wrote:
> petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> > sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> > Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
>
> It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a
> copyright assignment out of the author.

Another one of those things that was not evident from the patch queue.

-- 
Peter Eisentraut
http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/

Tom Lane wrote:
> petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> > sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> > Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
> 
> It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
> assignment out of the author.

I got it this morning.  The text they sent was:

> > The copyright has to be removed so it can be copyrighted by the
> > PostgreSQL Global Development Group.   Is that OK?  We can still keep
> > your name and company at the top.
> 
> Yes, it can be removed. I just wasn't aware that copyright transfer is
> neccessary. Most open-source projects don't have such a requirement, and
> individual portions of code are copyrighted by their respecitve authors.

Thanks.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Tom Lane wrote:
> > petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> > > sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> > > Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
> > 
> > It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
> > assignment out of the author.
> 
> I got it this morning.  The text they sent was:
> 
> > > The copyright has to be removed so it can be copyrighted by the
> > > PostgreSQL Global Development Group.   Is that OK?  We can still keep
> > > your name and company at the top.
> > 
> > Yes, it can be removed. I just wasn't aware that copyright transfer is
> > neccessary. Most open-source projects don't have such a requirement, and
> > individual portions of code are copyrighted by their respecitve authors.

I still don't understand why is the copyright "assignment" needed at
all.  Is it even valid, given that the PGDG does not have a written/
signed document?  At least the FSF requires you to given them a written
and signed statement to that effect.  And if it's not valid, why bother
doing it at all?

Also, the code is released under BSD license, so why is it important if
it says "Copyright Foo, Inc" or something else?  We will be able to use
it regardless of the copyright assignment, as will anyone else.

One point may be that if PGDG doesn't have a "Copyright" line in the
header, it can't then automatically increment the year in there when the
time comes.  Does this have anything to do with it?  It may also have to
do with when someone from PGDG fixes a bug in that code.

-- 
Alvaro Herrera                                http://www.CommandPrompt.com/
The PostgreSQL Company - Command Prompt, Inc.

Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@commandprompt.com> writes:
> Also, the code is released under BSD license, so why is it important if
> it says "Copyright Foo, Inc" or something else?

Because every so often we get pestered by lawyers who get worried when
there's a collection of random different copyright notices in the code.

Actually, I don't think there's anything wrong with "Copyright Foo Inc"
as long as there's also a statement "Released under the PostgreSQL
license" or equivalent.  The problem here was that with neither that nor
a "copyright assignment", there is no clear intent to make the code
available under our license terms.
        regards, tom lane

Alvaro Herrera wrote:
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > Tom Lane wrote:
> > > petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> > > > sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> > > > Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
> > > 
> > > It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
> > > assignment out of the author.
> > 
> > I got it this morning.  The text they sent was:
> > 
> > > > The copyright has to be removed so it can be copyrighted by the
> > > > PostgreSQL Global Development Group.   Is that OK?  We can still keep
> > > > your name and company at the top.
> > > 
> > > Yes, it can be removed. I just wasn't aware that copyright transfer is
> > > neccessary. Most open-source projects don't have such a requirement, and
> > > individual portions of code are copyrighted by their respecitve authors.
> 
> I still don't understand why is the copyright "assignment" needed at
> all.  Is it even valid, given that the PGDG does not have a written/
> signed document?  At least the FSF requires you to given them a written
> and signed statement to that effect.  And if it's not valid, why bother
> doing it at all?
> 
> Also, the code is released under BSD license, so why is it important if
> it says "Copyright Foo, Inc" or something else?  We will be able to use
> it regardless of the copyright assignment, as will anyone else.
> 
> One point may be that if PGDG doesn't have a "Copyright" line in the
> header, it can't then automatically increment the year in there when the
> time comes.  Does this have anything to do with it?  It may also have to
> do with when someone from PGDG fixes a bug in that code.

[ Patch author added as CC.]

I think we just felt that an explicit copyright to someone else in our
code could be confusing.  I don't believe there is any fundamental
reason to remove it, but it just seems best to do that.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Alvaro Herrera wrote:
>> Bruce Momjian wrote:
>>> Tom Lane wrote:
>>>> petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
>>>>> sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
>>>>> Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
>>>> It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
>>>> assignment out of the author.
>>> I got it this morning.  The text they sent was:
>>>
>>>>> The copyright has to be removed so it can be copyrighted by the
>>>>> PostgreSQL Global Development Group.   Is that OK?  We can still keep
>>>>> your name and company at the top.
>>>> Yes, it can be removed. I just wasn't aware that copyright transfer is
>>>> neccessary. Most open-source projects don't have such a requirement, and
>>>> individual portions of code are copyrighted by their respecitve authors.
>> I still don't understand why is the copyright "assignment" needed at
>> all.  Is it even valid, given that the PGDG does not have a written/
>> signed document?  At least the FSF requires you to given them a written
>> and signed statement to that effect.  And if it's not valid, why bother
>> doing it at all?
>>
>> Also, the code is released under BSD license, so why is it important if
>> it says "Copyright Foo, Inc" or something else?  We will be able to use
>> it regardless of the copyright assignment, as will anyone else.
>>
>> One point may be that if PGDG doesn't have a "Copyright" line in the
>> header, it can't then automatically increment the year in there when the
>> time comes.  Does this have anything to do with it?  It may also have to
>> do with when someone from PGDG fixes a bug in that code.
> 
> [ Patch author added as CC.]

hmm ? actually the author seems to be Victor Wagner (vitus@cryptocom.ru
- now in CC)  - I don't have anything to do with that module ...


Stefan

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > Yes, it can be removed. I just wasn't aware that copyright transfer
> > is neccessary. Most open-source projects don't have such a
> > requirement, and individual portions of code are copyrighted by
> > their respecitve authors.

This isn't a "copyright transfer", but if you just write "(C) me" 
without anything else then you haven't given any license for anyone 
else to use it.  If we put a uniform copyright statement everywhere, 
then this gives reasonable assurance (as in: we got away with it so 
far) to everyone about the nature of the license and such.  Your name 
is still on record, so you are still the copyright holder under law.

-- 
Peter Eisentraut
http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/

Tom Lane wrote:
> petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> > sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> > Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
> 
> It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
> assignment out of the author.

Test of wrapping of subject.  Ignore.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Tom Lane wrote:
> petere@postgresql.org (Peter Eisentraut) writes:
> > sslinfo contrib module - information about current SSL certificate
> > Author: Victor Wagner <vitus@cryptocom.ru>
> 
> It was premature to add this: Bruce is still trying to get a copyright
> assignment out of the author.

Test of wrapping of subject, please ignore.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Subject wrap test, please ignore.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +