Re: [PATCH v3] bsd-user: Switch to SPDX-License-Expression

["Daniel P. Berrangé" <berrange@redhat.com>]

On Sat, Mar 07, 2026 at 09:49:41AM -0700, Warner Losh wrote:
> Two minor changes to the copyright and license marking for these files:
> (1) Stacey D Son is used instead of variations of his name.
> (2) The GPL boilerplate is replaced by SPDX markings. No change to the
> terms of the license are intended, and this matches current QEMU practice.
> 
> There's no changes to the license or additional claims to any IP that
> others may hold in these files. All the S-o-bs in this commit have given
> me permission to do this to the extent they may hold rights. git blame
> over multiple repos and branches suggests that only minimal other
> material is present (much of it likely not subject to copyright
> protection). The project's long and complex history as well as tooling
> limitations make it hard to be 100% sure. Any omissions are
> unintentional and I will correct them as they come to light.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Stacey Son <sson@FreeBSD.org>
> Signed-off-by: Sean Bruno <sbruno@FreeBSD.org>
> Signed-off-by: Mikaël Urankar <mikael.urankar@gmail.com>
> Signed-off-by: Kyle Evans <kevans@FreeBSD.org>
> Signed-off-by: Guy Yur <guyyur@gmail.com>
> Signed-off-by: Alexander Kabaev <kan@FreeBSD.org>
> Signed-off-by: Michal Meloun <mmel@FreeBSD.org>
> Signed-off-by: Ed Schouten <ed@nuxi.nl>
> Signed-off-by: Karim Taha <kariem.taha2.7@gmail.com>
> Signed-off-by: Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com>
> ---
> Adjust the copyright markings for the bsd-user project to the extent
> that's easy and prudent. This removes the gpl boilerplate and replaces
> it with a SPDX line, per QEMU standard proactice. It uses Stacey D Son
> everytwhere rather than variations on that name. It uses full date
> ranges as appropriate.
> 
> All that's changing is the markings. I have Stacey's explicit permission
> to do this, as well as people cc'd. The history of bsd-user, first
> copied from linux-user and then passing through several branches in
> several repos as maintainers shifted make it hard to get a complete list
> of authors. But to the best of my ability to determine, this list
> represents the overwhelming majority of people who may have a copyright
> interest in the files not documented with a Copyright line.
> 
> This does not chanage any intellectual property rights people hold in
> these files. Nor does it change the licensing of these files in any
> way. It's easy to revert relevant parts should an unknown-to-me author
> appear and desire it. I believe it's legally defensible and would not
> affect future legal matters, especailly given this explicit statement of
> intent.
> 
> I'm doing this proactively so that all the files, with only few
> exceptions, can be marked in a similar manner in bsd-user's blitz repo.
> This will help in upstreaming as it completely takes the issue off the
> table, likely saving me hours of future work in reply to why something
> is marked the old way or realizing in the upstreaming process I have to
> make the change in bsd-user's blitz branch first (or worse, during the
> review process). Each individual change might not be a big deal, but the
> cumulative effect can grow large.
> ---
> Changes in v3:
> - Drop a few more files
> - Add Karim Taha, who has given me permission
> - Link to v2: https://lore.kernel.org/qemu-devel/20260304-bsd-user-copyright-v2-1-173525ffa614@bsdimp.com
> 
> Changes in v2:
> - document permissions better
> - drop a couple files that had others claiming copyright.
> - Link to v1: https://lore.kernel.org/qemu-devel/20260302-bsd-user-copyright-v1-1-f05587d18d4e@bsdimp.com
> ---
>  bsd-user/aarch64/signal.c               | 15 ++-------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch.h          | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_cpu.c      | 15 ++-------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_cpu.h      | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_elf.h      | 14 +-------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_reg.h      | 19 +++----------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_signal.h   | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_sigtramp.h | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_sysarch.h  | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_thread.h   | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_arch_vmparam.h  | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/aarch64/target_syscall.h       | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/arm/signal.c                   | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch.h              | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_cpu.c          | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_cpu.h          | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_elf.h          | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_reg.h          | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_signal.h       | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_sigtramp.h     | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_sysarch.h      | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_thread.h       | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_arch_vmparam.h      | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/arm/target_syscall.h           | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/bsd-file.h                     | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/bsd-mem.c                      | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/bsd-mem.h                      | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/bsd-proc.c                     | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/bsd-proc.h                     | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/os-misc.h              | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/os-proc.c              | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/os-proc.h              | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/os-stat.c              | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/os-stat.h              | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/os-strace.h            | 19 +++----------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/target_os_elf.h        | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/target_os_siginfo.h    | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/target_os_stack.h      | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/target_os_thread.h     | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/target_os_user.h       | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/freebsd/target_os_vmparam.h    | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/i386/signal.c                  | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch.h             | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_cpu.c         | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_cpu.h         | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_elf.h         | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_reg.h         | 19 +++----------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_signal.h      | 16 +++-------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_sigtramp.h    | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_sysarch.h     | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_thread.h      | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_arch_vmparam.h     | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/i386/target_syscall.h          | 16 +++-------------
>  bsd-user/qemu-bsd.h                     | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/syscall_defs.h                 | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/signal.c                | 16 +++-------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch.h           | 16 ++--------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_cpu.c       | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_cpu.h       | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_elf.h       | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_reg.h       | 19 +++----------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_signal.h    | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_sigtramp.h  | 17 ++---------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_sysarch.h   | 17 +++--------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_thread.h    | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_arch_vmparam.h   | 18 +++---------------
>  bsd-user/x86_64/target_syscall.h        | 16 +++-------------
>  67 files changed, 185 insertions(+), 971 deletions(-)

Reviewed-by: Daniel P. Berrangé <berrange@redhat.com>


With regards,
Daniel
-- 
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