GPL and unit/conf files

[paul@xxxxxxxxx (Paul Jakma)]

Hi,

On Fri, 11 May 2018, Zbigniew JÄ?drzejewski-Szmek wrote:

> On Fri, May 11, 2018 at 02:21:30PM +0100, Paul Jakma wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> logind.conf has a GPL header, as do things like getty at .service.
>
> An LGPL header actually, *library*.

Ah yes. Not quite sure what that will mean in the context of a 
config/settings file. ;)

>> Is each setting in those files copyrighted? Or is there some
>> threshold, where if I re-use enough of those settings in my file,
>> that the GPL applies? Are certain combinations of settings in
>> logind.conf or such unit files copyrighted?

> That's debatable. I'd say that even the whole file is not 
> copyrightable, but don't quote me on that.

My tendency, for things I feel are not / should be copyrightable that I 
write, is just to put the FSF all-perms header on them. Simply to ensure 
it's clear others can do anything with it, and there's no possibility 
for others to have to head-scratch over it.

> It's easier for us to reuse the same header and license everywhere.
> Since it's just LGPL, it does not really restrict use.

Indeed.

Just to note that things like this can end up triggering licence audit 
tools, and further processes. It may perhaps be that the systemd 
developers did not intend that kind of things. If so, perhaps the 
suggestion above might be an idea.

Thanks for systemd,
-- 
Paul Jakma | paul at jakma.org | @pjakma | Key ID: 0xD86BF79464A2FF6A
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