Re: Signed-off-by and aliases

[Loic Dachary <loic@dachary.org>]

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Hi Richard,

Thanks for your input !

I don't think koleosfuscus will have an issue using its real name. However, I know of at least one other instance where finding a way to handle aliases would allow contributors to participate in the Ceph project. OVH is a large hosting company employing a number of developers and management explicitly forbids participation in Free Software projects. The primary reason being that they could be contacted by companies looking for talents. If their contributions were clustered under the OVH <libre@ovh.com> alias, they may have permission to publish their code. Legally speaking it is not even an alias since OVH indeed is the copyright holder. I guess the same applies in the context OpenStack.

What do you think ?

Cheers

On 20/05/2014 06:19, Richard Fontana wrote:
> On Mon, May 19, 2014 at 08:27:54AM -0700, Koleos Fuskus wrote:
>> Please notice that the complete alias is "koleosfuscus" with "c" and not "k"
>> and I include a space when the forms ask me for name and family name. Anyway, I
>> would like to receive advice on this topic. It may be convenient for me to do
>> contributions using my real name. I am not aware of the copyright problems that
>> I may have for using alias. 
> 
> I can't provide you with advice on this, but my recommendation to the
> Ceph project maintainers is that real names be required as part of the
> Signed-off-by.
> 
> Use of an alias does not affect your ability to obtain copyright. One
> concern is that if you remain entirely anonymous and it becomes
> necessary to contact you in the future for some reason relating either
> to the license you are granting or the code you are providing, it may
> become relatively difficult to do so. How much this would actually
> matter is unclear (it might depend on how substantial your
> contributions are).
> 
> Another concern I have is a policy issue somewhat external to Ceph. I
> am currently attempting with some others to convince OpenStack to
> switch from a CLA to a DCO contribution system and have specifically
> pointed to Ceph as an example of a successful DCO-using project, well
> known to OpenStack participants. I am concerned about possible FUD
> from CLA advocates should it be discovered that Ceph accepts
> pseudonymic contributions under the DCO. (This even though I realize a
> CLA could itself be signed pseudonymously.)
> 
>  - Richard
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>>
>> Best,
>>
>> koleos
>>
>>
>> On Monday, May 19, 2014 5:19 PM, Loic Dachary <loic@dachary.org> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi Richard,
>>
>> It was nice seeing you at the OpenStack summit. Do not hesitate to redirect if
>> this question is best answered by someone else at RedHat. As most of us I'm
>> still unsure who at RedHat has time to devote to Ceph ;-)
>>
>> Koleos Fuskus <koleosfuscus@yahoo.com> would like to contribute code under an
>> alias (this is not its real name). If I understand correctly, copyright (both
>> in software and litterary works) allows authors to use aliases. Does RedHat
>> have a position on this ?
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> --
>> Lo c Dachary, Artisan Logiciel Libre
>>
>>

-- 
Loïc Dachary, Artisan Logiciel Libre


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