Re: DCO: Was: Re: Contributing to gdb

Arsen Arsenović <[email protected]> Mon, 17 Jun 2024 21:15:58 +0200

Newsgroups	gmane.comp.gnu.binutils,gmane.comp.gdb.devel
Message-ID	<[email protected]>

Guinevere Larsen <[email protected]> writes:

> I know of 2 people who decided to not contribute to GDB as soon as I mentioned
> that there was a copyright process.
>
> I also know of one person who I know was be a one off contributor (strager, who
> made a contribution just to make a video on how easy it is to contribute to
> open source projects). And saying we don't have them is a chicken and egg
> problem to me... could it be that we don't have them specifically because the
> process is so hostile to this type of contribution?

I know some people who refuse to contribute due to this also.  Many
don't trust the FSF, many don't want to reveal information, many do not
see the difference between the FSF copyright process and a CLA (except
that the latter is often easier to process..).

I understand there are good reasons for copyright assignment to the FSF,
but the FSF seems to be considered less trustworthy nowadays, and this
is reflected in the likelihood of (even relatively experienced!) free
software contributors signing over copyright.

I've, for a long time, avoided contributing to projects with 'legal
routine' requirements (DCO included) due to the implications of sharing
real names.

(NOTE: I have copyright assignments on file and might file more
 ahead-of-time to avoid sinking time every time I contribute to a new
 project.  It has not stopped me, but it /has/ others.  I can completely
 understand those people also)
-- 
Arsen Arsenović

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