[Openmosix-dev] 2.6.28.7 Patch 001 ready for review in git

[Boyd Stephen Smith Jr.]

In <20090317210155.GD5655 at solarnetone.org>, juri at solarnetone.org wrote:
>On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 03:24:52PM -0500, Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. wrote:
>> In <20090317200107.GC5655 at solarnetone.org>, juri at solarnetone.org wrote:
>> >Hey G_remlin,
>> >Mind giving us your real name and a blanket 'i agree to license these
>> > modifications under the GPLV2' so that we can correctly attribute you
>> > for your work?
>> Is a real name really required?
>To be blunt, you're the language lawyer. Is It? :)

They don't seem to require one on the git development list.  I suppose that 
not requiring a real name exposes you to the scenario like this:
Joe Hacker writes a patch.
Joe Hacker signs the patch as "31337" with copyright and license.
Joe Hacker waits 15 years.
Joe Hacker claims he wrote the patch, an unknown 3rd party going by "31337" 
stole it and published it without license, and attempts to restrict 
distribution.

But, a similar scenario is possible pretty much no matter what you require 
as a sign-off, so I think G_remlin should be able to be known as whatever 
(s)he wishes in the copyright statement.  It's very difficult, if not 
impossible, for our project to protect itself from contributors that are 
willing to lie to injure the project, either now or in the future.

I also don't think the scenario above is very likely and that anything worse 
is probably even less likely.  We can discuss it all we want, but it's 
really up to those with commit access to determine what they are willing to 
integrate into the tree--which patches they trust, both technically and 
legally--and possibly depend on in the future if someone later claims to 
have written it, not given permission, and wants to restrict distribution.
-- 
Boyd Stephen Smith Jr.           	 ,= ,-_-. =.
bss at iguanasuicide.net            	((_/)o o(\_))
ICQ: 514984 YM/AIM: DaTwinkDaddy 	 `-'(. .)`-'
http://iguanasuicide.net/        	     \_/

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