Subject: bug#19479: Copyright issue

From: Werner LEMBERG <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:33:00 +0100 (CET)

>> No, the assignment document is just for the Emacs code you wrote
>> and whose copyright you own.  It simply doesn't apply to the code
>> whose copyright you don't own (which normally only happens when the
>> copyright is owned by your employer).
> 
> I don't have a copy of it handy, but if that's the way it's worded,
> then you're right, it wouldn't be illegal for me to sign it. It
> would only be immoral. It would be legally vacuous, and deceptive,
> leading to doubt about my intent.

Perhaps slightly off-topic, but quite relevant IMHO in a global
perspective:

It is *not* possible to create not-copyrighted code in some
jurisdictions like Germany.  Whatever you write, it is by default
copyrighted by you (regardless whether there is a `public domain' line
or not), and you have to explicitly disclaim or reassign the
copyright.

For this reason, it is *much* better to use a license like CC0 instead
of a public domain notice, since this covers the `public domain' idea
in virtually all countries.  Actually, this is what the FSF recommends
(https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.en.html#CC0), and I guess
this works for emacs also, since it works already for GNU (according
to https://gcc.gnu.org/contribute.html#legal).

    Werner