Re: [Savannah-hackers-public] Project evaluation for librebootreborn

[Ineiev]

Hello, Asher;

On Tue, Jun 15, 2021 at 08:08:24PM +0000, Asher Gordon wrote:
> Ineiev <ineiev@gnu.org> writes:
>
> > On Tue, Jun 08, 2021 at 07:38:27AM +0000, Asher Gordon wrote:
> >>
> >> It seems to me that it would be better to post my evaluation directly on
> >> the tracker, but HowToBecomeASavannahHacker¹ says I should send it here
> >> instead. Perhaps there is a reason for that.
> >
> > You may be right; perhaps there is no crucial difference.
>
> Should I do my next evaluation here or on the tracker?

I think you may do that on the tracker.

> > ...since the package distributes these
> > files in its tarball, the maintainers are responsible for them.
> > for instance, it isn't OK for the tarball to include proprietary
> > software (and if files have no valid license notices, they are
> > technically proprietary).
...
> In that case, there are a lot more files that need license notices. For
> example, seabios/scripts/test-build.sh or
> grub/util/grub-module-verifierXX.c. There are also some with
> non-standard license notices for the GPL. For example,
> memtest86plus/spd.c contains the comment

> /*
>  * MemTest86+ V5 Specific code (GPL V2.0)
>  * By Samuel DEMEULEMEESTER, sdemeule@memtest.org
>  * http://www.canardpc.com - http://www.memtest.org
>  */

> No specification whether it is GPLv2.0 only or GPLv2.0 or later.

The GPL says that in order to assume "or later", either no version
should be specified, or the program should say "or later" explicitly:

'If the Program specifies a version number of this License which applies to it
and "any later version", you have the option of following the terms and
conditions either of that version or of any later version published by the Free
Software Foundation.  If the Program does not specify a version number of
this License, you may choose any version ever published by the Free Software
Foundation.'

> Another file with the same issue is seabios/scripts/layoutrom.py:

> #!/usr/bin/env python
> # Script to analyze code and arrange ld sections.
> #
> # Copyright (C) 2008-2014  Kevin O'Connor <kevin@koconnor.net>
> #
> # This file may be distributed under the terms of the GNU GPLv3 license.

> There are several other such files as well.
>
> It seems unreasonable to expect Leah to find the copyright holders for
> each of these files and ask them to add valid license notices.

This would mean that librebootreborn is the kind of free software packages
that can't comply with Savannah hosting requirements.