Hi NightStrike, On Fri, Apr 04, 2025 at 05:42:03PM -0400, NightStrike wrote: > How is an online only name different from an anonymous pseudonym? It > doesn’t seem to me that your changes actually clarify anything. To me, they > make it more ambiguous.
The difference is intent. An established (online) identity might not be using your full legal name, but isn't used to hide your identity and origin of your contribution from others. With an anonymous pseudonym you are deliberately using a fake name that obscures your identity and where your contribution comes from. In the later case you should use the FSF contributor policy that lets you use such an anonymous pseudonym, but still makes it clear to the community the provenance of your contribution has been verified. Does that make it more clear to you? Note that the proposed text is simply what other projects already use to explain what is required as name/identity when using contributions that require a kind of developer certificate of origin signed off by. Just so that there is a clear chain of permission to contribute the work giving everybody the rights granted under the projects license. Cheers, Mark > On Sun, Mar 30, 2025 at 09:47 Mark Wielaard <m...@klomp.org> wrote: > > > Ping again. Are there any other clarifications you like to see added? > > > > On Mon, Jan 27, 2025 at 11:18:08PM +0100, Mark Wielaard wrote: > > > On Mon, Jan 20, 2025 at 11:59:16AM +0100, Mark Wielaard wrote: > > > > On Sun, Jan 19, 2025 at 05:14:20PM +0100, Mark Wielaard wrote: > > > > > On Tue, Dec 17, 2024 at 04:40:10PM +0900, Gerald Pfeifer wrote: > > > > > > On Mon, 2 Dec 2024, Mark Wielaard wrote: > > > > > > > Adjust the DCO text to match the broader community usage and > > > > > > > clarifications around the use of real names, known identities and > > > > > > > (anonymous) pseudonyms. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > These changes clarify what was meant by "real name" and that it > > is not > > > > > > > required to be a "legal name" or any other stronger requirement > > than a > > > > > > > known identity that could be contacted to discuss the > > contribution as > > > > > > > adopted by other communities like the linux kernel, elfutils, > > cncf and > > > > > > > gentoo. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Also explain that the FSF assignment policy might be more > > appropriate > > > > > > > when wanting to contribute using an anonymous pseudonym. > > > > > > > > > > > > This looks fine to me personally, though I don't feel I can simply > > approve > > > > > > this wearing my wwwdocs hat (which is why I haven't responded > > earlier). > > > > > > > > > > > > Jason, you have originally contributed this if I remember > > correctly; how > > > > > > do we go about such a change? > > > > > > > > > > Please let me know. Updated patch below. > > > > > > > > > > > (One minor bit: The sentence "This will be done for you > > automatically if > > > > > > you use `git commit -s`" feels a bit off now there is more details > > on > > > > > > something else preceeding it. i.e., `git commit -s` does not > > establish > > > > > > real names as such. Maybe leave it earlier in the paragraph?) > > > > > > > > > > Yes, good point. I swapped the sentences. > > > > > > > > And then I attached the old patch anyway. Sorry. Really updated patch > > > > attached now. > > > > > > Ping. > > > > > > > > P.S. There will be a panel discussion organized by the FSF licensing > > > > > and compliance manager on copyrights and developer certificates of > > > > > origin at Fosdem: > > > > > > > https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-5376-managing-copyrights-in-free-software-projects-discussion-panel-with-gnu-maintainers/ > > > > > I'll try to attend and report back. > > > > > > Also the GDB hackers and the FSF have a discussion about > > > clarifications of copyright assignment and DCO practices: > > > > > https://inbox.sourceware.org/gdb/605f81a2-000e-42a3-b5fd-1854e92c5...@fsf.org/ > > > > > > > From b385e23076bdf843068f8242995461bef2e79748 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 > > > > From: Mark Wielaard <m...@klomp.org> > > > > Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2024 11:16:00 +0100 > > > > Subject: [PATCH] wwwdocs: Clarify DCO name/identity and (anonymous) > > pseudonym > > > > policy > > > > > > > > Adjust the DCO text to match the broader community usage and > > > > clarifications around the use of real names, known identities and > > > > (anonymous) pseudonyms. > > > > > > > > These changes clarify what was meant by "real name" and that it is not > > > > required to be a "legal name" or any other stronger requirement than a > > > > known identity and can be contacted to discuss the contribution as > > > > adopted by other communities like the linux kernel, elfutils, cncf and > > > > gentoo. > > > > > > > > Also explain that the FSF assignment policy might be more appropriate > > > > when wanting to contribute using an anonymous pseudonym or when > > > > needing an explicit company disclaimer. > > > > --- > > > > htdocs/dco.html | 17 +++++++++++++++-- > > > > 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) > > > > > > > > diff --git a/htdocs/dco.html b/htdocs/dco.html > > > > index 68fa183b9fc0..0bf0d3fedf34 100644 > > > > --- a/htdocs/dco.html > > > > +++ b/htdocs/dco.html > > > > @@ -54,8 +54,21 @@ then you just add a line saying: > > > > > > > > <pre> Signed-off-by: Random J Developer & > > lt;ran...@developer.example.org></pre> > > > > > > > > -using your real name (sorry, no pseudonyms or anonymous > > contributions.) This > > > > -will be done for you automatically if you use `git commit -s`. > > > > +using a known identity (sorry, no anonymous contributions.) This will > > > > +be done for you automatically if you use `git commit -s`. The name > > > > +you use as your identity should not be an anonymous id or false name > > > > +that misrepresents who you are. > > > > + > > > > +<p>A known identity can be the committer's real, birth or legal name, > > > > +but can also be an established (online) identity. It is the name you > > > > +convey to people in the community for them to use to identify you as > > > > +you. A key concern is that your identification is sufficient enough > > > > +to contact you if an issue were to arise in the future about your > > > > +contribution. You should not deliberately use a name or email address > > > > +that hides your identity. When you wish to only contribute under an > > > > +(anonymous) pseudonym, or when you require an explicit employer > > > > +disclaimer, then following the <a href="contribute.html#legal">FSF > > > > +assignment process</a> is more appropriate.</p> > > > > > > > > <p>Some people also put extra optional tags at the end. The GCC > > project does > > > > not require tags from anyone other than the original author of the > > patch, but > > > > -- > > > > 2.47.1 > > > > > > > > >
