Re: style(9) questions about Copyright comment

Warner Losh <[email protected]> Sat, 1 Aug 2026 17:18:51 -0600
Newsgroups gmane.os.freebsd.devel.hackers
Message-ID <CANCZdfoN0Sbd=XzsMFo11PmVpjFGo-F+twVVzdqpMOQoMckzzA@mail.gmail.com>
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On Sat, Aug 1, 2026, 3:52=E2=80=AFPM Steve Kargl <[email protected]> wrote=
:

> On 8/1/26 14:43, Warner Losh wrote:
>
> > On Sat, Aug 1, 2026, 12:29=E2=80=AFPM Steve Kargl <[email protected]
> > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
> >
> >>     In reading style(9), it states the comment with the
> >>     the Copyright should appear as
> >>
> >>     /*
> >>        * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Public
> >>        */
> >>
> >>     which appears contrary with regards to practice.  The
> >>     opening line for a Copyright comment contains a minus
> >>     sign, i.e.,
> >>
> >>     /*-
> >>        * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Public
> >>        */
> >>
> >>     Should style(9) be fixed?
> >
> >
> > No. Both orders are common.
> >
> > I just updated and consolidated out copyright and licensing stuff too.
> >
> > https://docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/license-guide/ <https://
> > docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/license-guide/>
> >
> > I think things are consistent now, but if I've missed anything please
> > let me know.
> >
>
> Thanks for the pointer to the URL.  So, if I'm editing an older
> file with /*- ... */, should I leave the minus or should I remove
> it to be consistent with style(9).  Same question applies to /**.
>

Up to you for the /*- comments. I don't unlees I'm doing a big cleanup or
wrote the file, but it's left to individual judgement. For /** comments,
those usually are doxygen comments so i leave them alone unless there's a
really good reason to disturb.

Warner

--=20
> steve
>
>

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<div dir=3D"auto"><div><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_contai=
ner"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, Aug 1, 2026, 3:52=E2=80=
=AFPM Steve Kargl &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">kargls@comcast.=
net</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"marg=
in:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">On 8/1/26 14:43,=
 Warner Losh wrote:<br>
<br>
&gt; On Sat, Aug 1, 2026, 12:29=E2=80=AFPM Steve Kargl &lt;<a href=3D"mailt=
o:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">[email protected]=
et</a> <br>
&gt; &lt;mailto:<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank" rel=
=3D"noreferrer">[email protected]</a>&gt;&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0In reading style(9), it states the comment with=
 the<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0the Copyright should appear as<br>
&gt;&gt; <br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0/*<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Publi=
c<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 */<br>
&gt;&gt; <br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0which appears contrary with regards to practice=
.=C2=A0 The<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0opening line for a Copyright comment contains a=
 minus<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0sign, i.e.,<br>
&gt;&gt; <br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0/*-<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Publi=
c<br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 */<br>
&gt;&gt; <br>
&gt;&gt;=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Should style(9) be fixed?<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; No. Both orders are common.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; I just updated and consolidated out copyright and licensing stuff too.=
<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; <a href=3D"https://docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/license-guide/" rel=3D=
"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://docs.freebsd.org/en/artic=
les/license-guide/</a> &lt;https:// <br>
&gt; <a href=3D"http://docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/license-guide/" rel=3D"=
noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/licen=
se-guide/</a>&gt;<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; I think things are consistent now, but if I&#39;ve=C2=A0missed anythin=
g please <br>
&gt; let me know.<br>
&gt; <br>
<br>
Thanks for the pointer to the URL.=C2=A0 So, if I&#39;m editing an older<br=
>
file with /*- ... */, should I leave the minus or should I remove<br>
it to be consistent with style(9).=C2=A0 Same question applies to /**.<br><=
/blockquote></div></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Up to=
 you for the /*- comments. I don&#39;t unlees I&#39;m doing a big cleanup o=
r wrote the file, but it&#39;s left to individual judgement. For /** commen=
ts, those usually are doxygen comments so i leave them alone unless there&#=
39;s a really good reason to disturb.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></di=
v><div dir=3D"auto">Warner</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"aut=
o"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><blockquote class=3D"gm=
ail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-le=
ft:1ex">
-- <br>
steve<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div></div></div>

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