kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 6/28/2017 12:18 M, Simon Richter wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> On 28.06.2017 16:48, Wayne Stambaugh wrote:
> 
>> In source we typically do this:
>>
>>  * Copyright (C) 2017 Leet Hacker <leet.hacker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>>  * Copyright (C) 2017 KiCad Developers.
> 
>> The user copy right is followed by the project copyright which is
>> updated as the file is modified by other developers.
> 
> I'm not sure the "project copyright" is actually correct from a legal
> point of view, as there is no such legal entity as "KiCad Developers".

"KiCad Developers" should probably be changed to "KiCad" as in the
project.  They have been used interchangeably in the past so my
motivation to change them would be low.

> 
> What we're actually supposed to do is that whenever someone touches a
> file (except for minor changes) is to create a new copyright line or
> extend the list of years on the existing one.
> 
> Minor changes below a certain threshold generally don't get a separate
> copyright, and don't extend the protection period (so you shouldn't add
> the current year for these either).
> 
> So, Tom writes something in 2016:
> 
>  * Copyricght 2016 Tom
> 
> Then I change it in 2017
> 
>  * Copyright 2016 Tom
>  * Copyright 2017 Simon
> 
> Then Tom changes it again:
> 
>  * Copyright 2016,2017 Tom
>  * Copyright 2017 Simon

That is the point of the KiCad project copyright.  Minor changes do not
change the original copyright holder.  The only time you should add your
name to the copyright is if you rewrite most of the underlying code.
This has been an unwritten rule and has happened quite a few times in
the past.  Although this probably was not followed as strictly as it
should have been.  We probably shouldn't be updating the individual
copyright holder dates.  Only the KiCad copyright dates should be
updated when the file is changed even if the person who changed it is
the original copyright holder.

> 
> IIRC the "(C)" is also not needed here, because we already have the word
> "Copyright", which can only be abbreviated by using the © sign, not
> ASCII art of it. Also, the list of years should not have ranges IIRC.

This is semantics.  I don't think it's worth changing every source file
to adhere to this.

> 
>    Simon
> 
> 
> 
> 
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