RE: [ros-dev] Top-level source header

[Ge van Geldorp]

>   From: Alex Ionescu
>
>  The voting period is now over. Proposal B from Alex Ionescu 
>  is the winner:
>  
>  /*
>   * PROJECT:     ReactOS Kernel
>   * LICENSE:     GPL - See COPYING in the top level directory
>   * FILE:        ntoskrnl/ex/mutant.c
>   * PURPOSE:     Manages the Kernel-Mode Implementation of Fast Mutex.
>   *              See /hal/halx86/generic/fmutex.c for the HAL 
implementation.
>    * PROGRAMMERS: Alex Ionescu (alex(a)reactos.org)
>   *	            Filip Navara (navaraf(a)reactos.org)
>   */ 
Sorry to keep on rambling about this, I know the vote is over and of course
I accept the outcome, but the simple fact is that this header does not
contain valid copyright notices. It lists the license (telling you what the
copyright holders allow you to do with the work), it lists the programmers
(who most probably are the copyright holders) but it does not contain valid
copyright notices, which (according to the US Copyright Office
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#noc) should have the following
form:

[begin quote]
The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all the following
three elements:

1. The symbol C (the letter C in a circle), or the word "Copyright," or the
abbreviation "Copr."; and

2. The year of first publication of the work. In the case of compilations or
derivative works incorporating previously published material, the year date
of first publication of the compilation or derivative work is sufficient.
The year date may be omitted where a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work,
with accompanying textual matter, if any, is reproduced in or on greeting
cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or any useful article;
and

3. The name of the owner of copyright in the work, or an abbreviation by
which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative
designation of the owner.
[end quote]

So in our case something like

/*
 * COPYRIGHT: Copyright 2005 Alex Ionescu (alex(a)reactos.org)
 *            Copyright 2005 Filip Navara (navaraf(a)reactos.org)
 */

The GPL says you can't remove an appropriate copyright notice, it says
nothing about not removing a PROGRAMMERS line. It would be very rude to
remove a PROGRAMMERS line, but not against the GPL.

GvG