Re: Question about commit message conventions

[Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>]

Andreas Ericsson <ae@op5.se> writes:

> If you sift through the Linux kernel, you will find numerous patches
> where subsystem maintainers have acked patches sent to them. I *think*
> this usually means that they have reviewed the patch and approve of
> it, but not modified it. The Ack is then solely for Linus' benefits
> and tells him that at least one pair of eyes have already gone over
> the patch.

Correct.

> Subsys maintainers sometimes also add Signed-off-by: lines, which I
> assume means they have tweaked the patch somewhat or somehow
> collaborated with the author in producing it.
>...
> Lots of guesswork here, but in a sane world I can't be too far off the
> mark ;-)

Documentation/SubmittingPatches makes it unnecessary to make any
guesses on S-o-b lines.  Regarding subsystem maintainer
sign-offs, you are referring to DCO 1.1 (b), but the signature
could have been made under DCO 1.1 (c).

In plain terms, the signer vouches that the patch was passed
either intact or with modifications but the original and
modifications are both releasable, to the best of signer's
knowledge, under open source terms.