permission to use spec files in other projects (Was Re: clamav)

[R P Herrold]

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007, Jeff Spaleta wrote:

> Here are the fundamental questions that I keep coming back to:
>
> Is it ethically wrong for me as a Fedora packager to take an 
> existing spec file without an explicit license from another 
> location as the base for the spec file I plan to submit for 
> review?  The pit of my stomach says no.

Your gut may need a check-up -- as noted in IRC to you several 
days ago, CLA 5 includes the representation:

5. You represent that each of your Contributions is your 
original creation (see section 7 for submissions on behalf of 
others). You represent that your Contribution submission(s) 
include complete details of any third-party license or other 
restriction (including, but not limited to, related copyright, 
patents and trademarks) of which you are personally aware and 
which are associated with any part of your Contribution.

That is: No hidden direct or contributory Copyright ('related 
copyright') infringements.  Trimmed Changelogs leaving a 
pointer (attribution) back to its prior source and making 
forked content in software bearing a FOSS license -- fine, ** 
so long as there is attribution **; silent lifts, fileing off 
all identifiers, and passing off code written by another as 
one's own -- nope.
 	<include IA_AL disclaimer>

There is probably not a general formal statutory prohibition 
against plagiarism, but I don't associate with theives and 
chop shop operators.  Here in Ohio, such behaviours would get 
a person, say, tossed out of Uni, and stripped of any awarded 
degree.
    	http://www.ohio.edu/outlook/media/BMIR.cfm

'There can never be a time or reason at an academic 
institution, such as our Ohio University, when plagiarism can 
be justified. Equally, there can not be any tolerance of the 
individuals who participate in this serious misconduct.'

My 5 x great grandfather and his brothers settled the land 
near, and provided the lumber for that school's first 
buildings; two buildings at its branch campus' bear my family 
name.  I am proud to see OU's response to the challenge which 
a discovered plagiarism brought.  I am not perfect, and none 
one human is; but I can strive toward it.

But maybe we do things differently, out here in 'fly over' 
country than, say, at Princeton

-- Russ Herrold