On 2022-10-30 Jeremy Harris via Exim-users <exim-users@???> wrote:
[...]
> Now, along comes SPDX: a standard for labelling files with
> the license that applies. Yup, we're late as usual...
> a) Do we care? Should we label every text file in sight?
> Or not take any action?
> b) Do existing licence conditions mentioned in specific file matter?
> For example: a few files are commented (my precis) "GPLv2 or later",
> some with "open source, do what you want".
> We could
> - not label such files
> - try to use a label matching the existing text
> - label with the project choice of licence
> c) What license should we label with?
> - Given the dates above, I'm tempted to say that GPLv2-only
> should be taken as the original intent. But I don't know
> how much freedom we have for change, nor what (if any)
> might be preferred.
> d) What are the legal implications of doing this labelling?
> Specifically, when different files are differently (not)labelled?
IANAL:
d) There should not be any changes, labelling with SPDX is documentation
it does not change who wrote the file, holds the copyright and under
which license it was released. Which also answers c/b).
a) Yes, but. It would be very nice if the whole exim distribution had
correct per-file attribution/copyright/license. However it is going to
be quite a bit of work and it is the type of work with - well - limited
appeal for many.
cu Andreas
--
`What a good friend you are to him, Dr. Maturin. His other friends are
so grateful to you.'
`I sew his ears on from time to time, sure'
