[FFmpeg-devel] [PATCH] doc/developer: require transparency about sponshorships.

[Tobias Rapp]

On 13.01.2019 15:07, Gyan wrote:
> 
> On 13-01-2019 06:39 PM, Ronald S. Bultje wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 13, 2019 at 4:39 AM Gyan <ffmpeg at gyani.pro> wrote:
>>
>>> When someone submits a patch, it is implicit, unless stated otherwise,
>>> that it is of their own initiative (and their own work), and thus they
>>> are free to assign copyright. When work is performed for hire, the
>>> copyright may belong to the employer. Such sponsored work cannot be
>>> 'donated' to the project
>>>
>> But we don't do copyright assignment.
> 
> 
> No, the patch submitter (implicitly) does. Which is not a problem when 
> the copyright holder and submitter are the same person. For sponsored 
> code, they may not be.
> 
> Analogy:
> 
> Scenario 1
> 
> A 'vlogger' makes a video and uploads it as public to Youtube. Youtube 
> then lets everyone see that video. No problem.
> 
> Scenario 2
> 
> Someone pays the vlogger to make a video. Vlogger uploads it to YT as 
> public. There's a problem if the client did not allow that which makes 
> it copyright infringement, Which is why YT has this clause in their T&C
> 
> "You affirm, represent, and warrant that you own or have the necessary 
> licenses, rights, consents, and permissions to publish Content you 
> submit; and you license to YouTube all patent, trademark, trade secret, 
> copyright or other proprietary rights in and to such Content for 
> publication on the Service pursuant to these Terms of Service."
> 
> So, we are YT in this case and the Content is the patch(es). The concern 
> would be that the submitter doesn't have the right to license the code 
> into ffmpeg, if the contract with the client doesn't allow them to do 
> it. Only way to be sure is for the sponsor to affirm to it. And for 
> that, we would have to know that there is a sponsor, to start with.

Isn't this what the "Signed-off-by" line in a commit already states? So 
to solve this (if actually deemed necessary) it would be better to 
request the commit author to signal that the copyright status has been 
clarified by always adding this Signed-off-by line instead.

Regards,
Tobias