78 lines
3.2 KiB
Plaintext
78 lines
3.2 KiB
Plaintext
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Frequently Asked Questions about CNRI's legal policy regarding
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contributions to Python
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If you have a question that isn't answered here, please write
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<guido@python.org>
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Q. What are the legal requirements for contributions to Python?
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CNRI's lawyers recommend that we collect legal agreements for all new
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contributions. For small contributions, a simple two-paragraph note
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in the email containing the contribution suffices (see
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bugrelease.txt). For more substantial contribution, we require a
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mailed signed copy of a simple form (see wetsign.txt). We have tried
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to make the legal language as simple as possible.
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Q. Why does CNRI require this?
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In order to make it possible to protect Python against potential
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infringements. Other organizations that distribute free software do
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the similar things; for example, the GNU project requires a much more
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strongly worded form, assigning all copyrights to the Free Software
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Foundation, for all contributions to GNU software.
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Q. When is a contribution small enough to require only an email note?
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This is determined by us on a per-contribution basis. Up to 20 lines
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of patches typically qualify as small; however if you manage to do
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something truly spectacular in 20 lines or less we may ask you to send
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in the signature form anyway.
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Q. I have contributed to Python in the past. Should I sign and mail
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in a form now?
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Yes, please. We are in the process of getting wet signatures for all
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major contributions to Python up to now. If you contributed a module
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or more, we'll try to get in touch with you; you can save us the
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effort and mail us the signed form right away!
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Q. Do I have to accurately list everything I contributed?
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No. If you made multiple contributions in the past, it is sufficient
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to write in the form under "description" something like "everything
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I've contributed until <date>." If you continue to make
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significant contributions in the future, you can send us an update
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form using a similar formulation every once in a while.
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Q. Can I send in a form to cover all my future contributions?
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No. However it's okay if you send in a form, say, once a year,
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covering all your contributions from the last time you sent one in
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until the date you sign the new form.
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Q. Does the form protect me against copyright or patent infringement
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suits?
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If you infringe somebody's rights, no form in the world that you sign
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can protect you. The form only protects CNRI, because the act of
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collecting the forms shows that CNRI is doing "due diligence"
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regarding asserting the origin of contributions.
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Q. Does the form protect me against claims from damage resulting from
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use of my contribution?
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We have reluctantly added a paragraph wherein you disclaim all
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warranties etc. You may see this as some form of protection. However
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the law regarding such disclaimers is complicated and varies widely
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between states and countries, and the particular disclaimer used on
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the form may not cover you in all cases.
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Q. Does the form transfer my copyrights to CNRI?
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No. CNRI only gets certain non-exclusive rights. See the form for
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the exact list of rights.
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Q. If I don't sign, will my past contributions be removed from Python?
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That is up to CNRI's lawyers to decide.
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