Re: [RFD] Explicitly documenting patch submission

Davide Libenzi
2004-05-23T19:04:08Z

On Sat, 22 May 2004, Linus Torvalds wrote:

> The plan is to make this very light-weight, and to fit in with how we
> already pass patches around - just add the sign-off to the end of the
> explanation part of the patch. That sign-off would be just a single line
> at the end (possibly after _other_ peoples sign-offs), saying:
>
> Signed-off-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
>
> To keep the rules as simple as possible, and yet making it clear what it
> means to sign off on the patch, I've been discussing a "Developer's
> Certificate of Origin" with a random collection of other kernel
> developers (mainly subsystem maintainers). This would basically be what
> a developer (or a maintainer that passes through a patch) signs up for
> when he signs off, so that the downstream (upstream?) developers know
> that it's all ok:
>
> Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.0
>
> By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:
>
> (a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I
> have the right to submit it under the open source license
> indicated in the file; or
>
> (b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best
> of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open source
> license and I have the right under that license to submit that
> work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part
> by me, under the same open source license (unless I am
> permitted to submit under a different license), as indicated
> in the file; or
>
> (c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other
> person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified
> it.

Andrew already puts the "From:" thing in the patch comment, so this should
be simply a matter of replacing "From:" with "Signed-off-by:", preserving
it in logs, and documenting the thing in the patch submission doc. No?

- Davide