Missing copyright clause of debian directory

[Xiyue Deng]

Hi,

I start working on adopting web-mode whose previous maintainer Thomas
Koch[1] became MIA (see Bug#1019031). When working on d/copyright, it
turns out that there was only one copyright section that covered "Files:
*" with upstream copyright owners but no separate section for "debian/*"
(see also the d/copyright of the snapshot of version 17.0.2-1[2]).
After checking the upstream copyright[3], I don't see the previous
maintainer in the list of copyright owners, therefore I believe the
current d/copyright is at mistake by covering the content in debian
directory under "Files: *".

I'd like to change this situation by adding a separate section covering
"File: debian/*" and attribute the copyright to the previous maintainer,
but currently there are some complications I am not sure how to handle.
Upstream changed their license from GPL-2 to GPL-3 in 2022, while the
previous maintainer last worked on this back in 2020, so I believe I am
obliged to update upstream license to GPL-3. Following suggestions from
my reviewer Nicholas, I'm here to consult debian-***@l.d.o for
suggestions. So at high level I currently have 2 questions:

1. whether I can add the new copyright section to cover debian/*, and

2. whether I should use GPL-2 as when the previous maintainer last
worked on this or I can use GPL-3 to match upstream version as well?

Looking forward to any suggestions. TIA!

[Soren Stoutner]

As an additional followup, as the original debian/* files were licensed GPLv2+,
if you edit a file you can choose to make your contribution GPLv3+, which would
convert the entire file to GPLv3+. If you end up editing all of the files in
debian/* at least once, you could convert the entire copyright entry to
GPLv3+.

I can’t do that with Electrum because there is no automatic conversion from
GPLv3+ to Expat. But it is an option that is open to you if you would like to
pursue it. It also isn’t a problem if you decide to leave all your
contributions to debian/* as GPLv2+, as any GPLv2+ file can be contributed to
an upstream GPLv3+ project (that’s the beauty of using GPLv2+ instead of
GPLv2: it can be converted to later versions with any additional permission
from the copyright holders).

As an additional comment, I currently maintain Electrum. Upstream is

licensed

Expat. Previous maintainers licensed their debian/* contributions GPLv3+.
When I took over the package, I started working closely with upstream and
wanted to contribute patches and other files, like AppSream metainfo to them.
To do this, I wanted all of my new contributions to debian/* to be licensed
under Expat when I was the sole author of the file, and dual licensed under
GPLv3+ and Expat when I was editing an existing file. I indicated that in
Files: debian/*
License: GPL-3+
The following copyright holders additionally license their
contributions to debian/* under the Expat license so that
if all other listed contributors agree it can be relicensed
under Expat, which is the license used by upstream and makes it
Soren Stoutner, Bastian Germann.
Files: debian/electrum.1
License: Expat
Files: debian/patches/*
License: Expat
Files: debian/patches/Improve-message-about-PyQt5.patch
License: GPL-3+
https://sources.debian.org/src/electrum/4.5.4%2Bdfsg-1/debian/copyright/[1]

I've only looked at this situation for a total of five minutes prior to
writing this email, so take this with a grain of salt. But to help you
make forward progress...
https://github.com/fxbois/web-mode/blob/

a9d21841224da3295f2dd0a90022f5e435e4

80 46/web-mode.el#L13
The existing copyright says GPL-2+ (not GPL-2).

Post by Xiyue Deng
1. whether I can add the new copyright section to cover debian/*, and

I think it is pretty typical to have a debian/* section. And if the
licenses differ (see below), then you would _have_ to have separate
sections.

[Soren Stoutner]

"that’s the beauty of using GPLv2+ instead of GPLv2: it can be converted to later versions
*WITHOUT* any additional permission from the copyright holders”

That was an egregious enough typo that I felt compelled to send another email. I
apologize for the noise.

Post by Soren Stoutner
As an additional followup, as the original debian/* files were licensed
GPLv2+, if you edit a file you can choose to make your contribution GPLv3+,
which would convert the entire file to GPLv3+. If you end up editing all of
the files in debian/* at least once, you could convert the entire copyright
entry to GPLv3+.
I can’t do that with Electrum because there is no automatic conversion from
GPLv3+ to Expat. But it is an option that is open to you if you would like to
pursue it. It also isn’t a problem if you decide to leave all your
contributions to debian/* as GPLv2+, as any GPLv2+ file can be contributed to
an upstream GPLv3+ project (that’s the beauty of using GPLv2+ instead of
GPLv2: it can be converted to later versions with any additional permission
from the copyright holders).

As an additional comment, I currently maintain Electrum. Upstream is

licensed

Expat. Previous maintainers licensed their debian/* contributions GPLv3+.
When I took over the package, I started working closely with upstream and
wanted to contribute patches and other files, like AppSream metainfo to them.
To do this, I wanted all of my new contributions to debian/* to be licensed
under Expat when I was the sole author of the file, and dual licensed under
GPLv3+ and Expat when I was editing an existing file. I indicated that in
Files: debian/*
License: GPL-3+
The following copyright holders additionally license their
contributions to debian/* under the Expat license so that
if all other listed contributors agree it can be relicensed
under Expat, which is the license used by upstream and makes it
Soren Stoutner, Bastian Germann.
Files: debian/electrum.1
License: Expat

[Xiyue Deng]

Post by Soren Stoutner
"that’s the beauty of using GPLv2+ instead of GPLv2: it can be converted to later versions
*WITHOUT* any additional permission from the copyright holders”
That was an egregious enough typo that I felt compelled to send another email. I
apologize for the noise.

Thanks very much Soren for the detailed explanations! And your
suggestions match what Richard suggested as well!

I think in this case I'll keep the debian/* under GPL-2+ for now, as in
our team we are not recommended to be added to copyright holders with
incremental improvements until we have done a more substantial
contribution. But I'll keep in mind the possibility to upgrade GPL-2+
to GPL-3+ given their compatibility.

Thanks again to you and Richard both!

Post by Soren Stoutner

Post by Soren Stoutner
As an additional followup, as the original debian/* files were licensed
GPLv2+, if you edit a file you can choose to make your contribution GPLv3+,
which would convert the entire file to GPLv3+. If you end up editing all of
the files in debian/* at least once, you could convert the entire copyright
entry to GPLv3+.
I can’t do that with Electrum because there is no automatic conversion from
GPLv3+ to Expat. But it is an option that is open to you if you would like to
pursue it. It also isn’t a problem if you decide to leave all your
contributions to debian/* as GPLv2+, as any GPLv2+ file can be contributed to
an upstream GPLv3+ project (that’s the beauty of using GPLv2+ instead of
GPLv2: it can be converted to later versions with any additional permission
from the copyright holders).

As an additional comment, I currently maintain Electrum. Upstream is

licensed

Expat. Previous maintainers licensed their debian/* contributions GPLv3+.
When I took over the package, I started working closely with upstream and
wanted to contribute patches and other files, like AppSream metainfo to them.
To do this, I wanted all of my new contributions to debian/* to be licensed
under Expat when I was the sole author of the file, and dual licensed under
GPLv3+ and Expat when I was editing an existing file. I indicated that in
Files: debian/*
License: GPL-3+
The following copyright holders additionally license their
contributions to debian/* under the Expat license so that
if all other listed contributors agree it can be relicensed
under Expat, which is the license used by upstream and makes it
Soren Stoutner, Bastian Germann.
Files: debian/electrum.1
License: Expat

[Soren Stoutner]

As an additional comment, I currently maintain Electrum. Upstream is licensed Expat.
Previous maintainers licensed their debian/* contributions GPLv3+. When I took over the
package, I started working closely with upstream and wanted to contribute patches and
other files, like AppSream metainfo to them.

To do this, I wanted all of my new contributions to debian/* to be licensed under Expat
when I was the sole author of the file, and dual licensed under GPLv3+ and Expat when I
was editing an existing file. I indicated that in the following way:

Files: debian/*
Copyright: 2013-2015 Vasudev Kamath <***@gmail.com>
2013 Gregor Herrmann <***@debian.org>
2013-2021 Tristan Seligmann <***@debian.org>
2019-2020 Laurent Bigonville <***@debian.org>
2022 Bastian Germann <***@debian.org>
2022-2024 Soren Stoutner <***@debian.org>
License: GPL-3+
Comment:
The following copyright holders additionally license their
contributions to debian/* under the Expat license so that
if all other listed contributors agree it can be relicensed
under Expat, which is the license used by upstream and makes it
easier for contributions to be upstreamed when appropriate:
Soren Stoutner, Bastian Germann.

Files: debian/electrum.1
Copyright: 2023-2024 Soren Stoutner <***@debian.org>
License: Expat

Files: debian/patches/*
Copyright: 2022-2024 Soren Stoutner <***@debian.org>
License: Expat

Files: debian/patches/Improve-message-about-PyQt5.patch
Copyright: 2020 Tristan Seligmann <***@debian.org>
License: GPL-3+

https://sources.debian.org/src/electrum/4.5.4%2Bdfsg-1/debian/copyright/[1]

I've only looked at this situation for a total of five minutes prior to
writing this email, so take this with a grain of salt. But to help you
make forward progress...
https://github.com/fxbois/web-mode/blob/a9d21841224da3295f2dd0a90022f5e435e480
46/web-mode.el#L13
The existing copyright says GPL-2+ (not GPL-2).

Post by Xiyue Deng
1. whether I can add the new copyright section to cover debian/*, and

I think it is pretty typical to have a debian/* section. And if the
licenses differ (see below), then you would _have_ to have separate
sections.

[Xiyue Deng]

I've only looked at this situation for a total of five minutes prior
to writing this email, so take this with a grain of salt. But to help
you make forward progress...
https://github.com/fxbois/web-mode/blob/a9d21841224da3295f2dd0a90022f5e435e48046/web-mode.el#L13
The existing copyright says GPL-2+ (not GPL-2).

Ack. I should have used the more precise terms.

Post by Xiyue Deng
1. whether I can add the new copyright section to cover debian/*, and

I think it is pretty typical to have a debian/* section. And if the
licenses differ (see below), then you would _have_ to have separate
sections.

Post by Xiyue Deng
2. whether I should use GPL-2 as when the previous maintainer last
worked on this or I can use GPL-3 to match upstream version as well?

If that is what you believe applies to the debian files (which is what
debian/copyright says today), then I would keep it as that. GPL-2+ is,
of course, compatible with GPL-3+.
Files: *
License: GPL-3+
Copyright: fill in the upstream copyright holders
Files: debian/*
License: GPL-2+
Copyright: previous maintainer, you

Thanks for the suggestions Richard!