Re: RFC: stop doing "grand replace" updates to copyright years

[Wol]

On 15/02/2023 17:08, David Kastrup wrote:
> Wols Lists <antlists@youngman.org.uk> writes:
>
> > On 15/02/2023 02:01, David Kastrup wrote:
> > > > Personally, I'd be happiest if everybody who updated a file was
> > > > responsible for making sure the copyright date was updated
> > > > appropriately,
> >
> > > That is going to work fantastically well, right?  Distribute
> > > responsibility until nobody feels responsible for anything and enjoy the
> > > chaos.
> >
> > Put it another way. If they can't be bothered to claim their
> > copyright, that's their lookout. (Or reject submissions if they
> > don't.)
>
> I haven't ever seen a project that demands authors to declare that they
> will defend their copyright in court.  That would be a much more onerous
> burden than even a copyright assignment.
PLEASE be more careful reading what I wrote. You can take things too 
literally, I know. Please take what I write rather more literally also.

All I said was "if the copyright owner can't be bothered to update 
attribution, that's down to them".

If they want to rigorously keep it up to date, that's fine too. It's 
their copyright, their prerogative. And how does updating (or not) a 
copyright statement to reflect reality make any statement as to whether 
they are going to defend said copyright?

All I'm saying, it's not MY right to alter YOUR copyright statements, 
and nor is it your right to alter mine.

I've been messaged off-list saying this is a contentious subject, and 
while I'm clearly trying to do "the right thing" he doesn't agree with 
me. I'm not a lawyer, I could be wrong. But my feelings are simple. The 
*source* is an *aggregation* of individual files. Don't mess with 
*other* *peoples* copyrights. Everything I've said boils down to that. I 
just find it incredibly hard to justify anything else. Hence me wording 
it so strongly.

If you want to disagree with me, fine. But please read what I wrote, not 
what you think I wrote.

I think we both need to back off and cool down. Sorry.

Cheers,
Wol