Russ Allbery wrote:
While it would be nice to clean up this sort of thing just to avoid future
confusion, this doesn't strike me as a serious problem worthy of removing
the software from Debian unless the upstream copyright holders indicate
that they really had intended to offer no license for those files.
Well, I'd remove it if any key upstream copyright holder can't be contacted,
as well.
But certainly we should expect the copyright holders to be willing to
clarify the license.
I only suggested removal because I found the disturbingly-licensed arlib
directory on my first pass, and
because removal had already been suggested due to the RC bugs.
It is an odd situation. I strongly suspect that most of the contributors to
NTP have simply not been paying attention to copyright law. It's likely
that there are copyright-significant contributions by other people
without any copyright notices; unless they were employed by David Mills, or
signed copyright assignments, they still hold copyrights, but they haven't
formally licensed anything. :-P The only one who's done so is Mills.
If I were contacting upstream, I would recommend that the current copyright
notice be replaced by the following -- but only provided it's actually true,
of course:
The following copyright notice applies to all files collectively called the
Network Time Protocol Version 4 Distribution. Unless specifically declared
otherwise in an individual file, this notice applies as if the text was
explicitly included in the file.
/* Copyright (c) David L. Mills 1992-1998 */
In addition, portions of the files are copyright each of the individuals
acknowledged as authors below.
The following license applies to all files collectively called the
Network Time Protocol Version 4 Distribution, unless a different license is
specifically declared
in an individual file. This license applies as if the text was explicitly
included in the file. This license is granted by David L. Mills and all the
other copyright holders in the files.
/**********************************************************************/
* Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and *
* its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby *
* granted, provided that the above copyright notice appears in all *
* copies and that both the copyright notice and this permission *
* notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name *
* University of Delaware not be used in advertising or publicity *
* pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, *
* written prior permission. The University of Delaware makes no *
* representations about the suitability this software for any *
* purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied *
* warranty. *
**********************************************************************/
The following individuals contributed in part to the Network Time Protocol
Distribution Version 4 and are acknowledged as authors of this work.
[remainder as before]----Please note the differences. As is, the license
appears to be granted *only* byDavid Mills. He doesn't actually acknowledge
in the maincopyright statement that anyone else has a copyright interest,
even though heacknowledges them as "authors".
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