Groups > linux.debian.devel > #119622

Re: dh_copyright

From	Mechtilde Stehmann <mechtilde@debian.org>
Newsgroups	linux.debian.devel
Subject	Re: dh_copyright
Date	2025-11-16 18:50 +0100
Message-ID	<LRP2V-drF4-3@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
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Hello

Am 16.11.25 um 17:48 schrieb Simon Josefsson:
> Adrian Bunk <bunk@debian.org> writes:
> 
>> A better workflow would be something like:
>> - a dh_copyright creates and updates debian/copyright
>> - the build aborts on non-trivial changes[1]
>> - the maintainer reviews the changes when the build aborted
>>    (including after the initial packaging)
> 
> Yes!  What do you think about designing it similar to how we handle
> debian/*.symbols file?  That is, dh_copyright would generate a
> debian/copyright based on upstream source code and compare that with
> debian/copyright and barf on diffs?  With some suitable override or hint
> mechanism for known mis-interpretations.
> 
> I have had good success using 'licenserecon' for verifying license
> compliance in many packages, but I have yet to find a good enough
> mechanism to curate the debian/copyright file from upstream sources.
> 
> I think the output of this tool doesn't have to be perfect, if the
> hint/override mechanism is human-friendly and easy to use so that
> maintainers can somehow force the debian/copyright output to what they
> want.
> 
> Having automated copyright generation with human assistance seems better
> than human maintained copyright files.  I think it would lead to better
> quality debian/copyright content, fewer errors, and reduce maintainer
> cycles.

+1

> 
>> It would also be good to discuss with a lawyer what actual legal
>> requirements are.
> ...
>> It is not clear to me whether debian/copyright is required for legal
>> reasons at all,[2]
> 
> Reproducing whatever upstream say about copyright and licensing is
> probably sufficient and the right thing to do regardless.

This approach carries the risk that non-free source code could still be 
published in Debian. As a community, we should take care to develop 
processes to minimize the risk of liability.

And this should apply across all different legal systems.

> 
> /Simon

Regards

-- 
Mechtilde Stehmann
## Debian Developer
## PGP encryption welcome
## F0E3 7F3D C87A 4998 2899  39E7 F287 7BBA 141A AD7F

Thread

Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Antoine Le Gonidec <vv221@debian.org> - 2025-11-03 15:20 +0100
  Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Felipe Maia <felipegmaia@protonmail.com> - 2025-11-04 03:30 +0100
    Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Antoine Le Gonidec <vv221@debian.org> - 2025-11-04 14:40 +0100
      Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Holger Levsen <holger@layer-acht.org> - 2025-11-04 16:50 +0100
        Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Joerg Jaspert <joerg@debian.org> - 2025-11-04 23:10 +0100
          Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <tille@debian.org> - 2025-11-05 16:30 +0100
            Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Joerg Jaspert <joerg@debian.org> - 2025-11-07 22:40 +0100
              Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <andreas@an3as.eu> - 2025-11-10 21:10 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Adrian Bunk <bunk@debian.org> - 2025-11-11 01:00 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <tille@debian.org> - 2025-11-14 17:00 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) "Adam D. Barratt" <adam@adam-barratt.org.uk> - 2025-11-12 19:40 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <tille@debian.org> - 2025-11-12 20:50 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) "Adam D. Barratt" <adam@adam-barratt.org.uk> - 2025-11-12 23:10 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Joerg Jaspert <joerg@debian.org> - 2025-11-12 23:20 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <tille@debian.org> - 2025-11-13 07:00 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) "Adam D. Barratt" <adam@adam-barratt.org.uk> - 2025-11-13 07:20 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Ansgar 🙀 <ansgar@debian.org> - 2025-11-13 09:50 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Mechtilde Stehmann <mechtilde@debian.org> - 2025-11-13 10:10 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <andreas@an3as.eu> - 2025-11-13 12:10 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Ansgar 🙀 <ansgar@debian.org> - 2025-12-02 00:10 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Ansgar 🙀 <ansgar@debian.org> - 2025-11-13 10:00 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <tille@debian.org> - 2025-11-13 14:40 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Ansgar 🙀 <ansgar@debian.org> - 2025-11-14 08:10 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Holger Levsen <holger@layer-acht.org> - 2025-11-14 12:10 +0100
                every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new members  for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Holger Levsen <holger@layer-acht.org> - 2025-11-14 12:40 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Syed Shahrukh <syed.shahrukh@ossrevival.org> - 2025-11-14 13:00 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Andreas Tille <andreas@an3as.eu> - 2025-11-14 17:30 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Sean Whitton <spwhitton@spwhitton.name> - 2025-11-14 15:10 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Colin Watson <cjwatson@debian.org> - 2025-11-14 16:20 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Andrey Rakhmatullin <wrar@debian.org> - 2025-11-14 16:30 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Daniel Lenharo de Souza <lenharo@debian.org> - 2025-11-14 17:10 +0100
                Re: every day,  10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team  (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Soren Stoutner <soren@debian.org> - 2025-11-18 02:10 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Salvo Tomaselli <tiposchi@tiscali.it> - 2025-11-18 08:00 +0100
                Re: every day, 10 packages make it through NEW (Re: Seeking new  members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Marco d'Itri <md@Linux.IT> - 2025-11-14 16:50 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <tille@debian.org> - 2025-11-15 07:20 +0100
              Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Adrian Bunk <bunk@debian.org> - 2025-11-16 17:10 +0100
                dh_copyright (was: Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re:  Bits from the DPL)) Simon Josefsson <simon@josefsson.org> - 2025-11-16 18:00 +0100
                Re: dh_copyright (was: Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits  from the DPL)) Fabian Grünbichler <debian@fabian.gruenbichler.email> - 2025-11-16 18:20 +0100
                Re: dh_copyright Mechtilde Stehmann <mechtilde@debian.org> - 2025-11-16 18:50 +0100
                Re: dh_copyright Antonio Russo <aerusso@aerusso.net> - 2025-11-16 20:10 +0100
                Re: dh_copyright (was: Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team  (Re: Bits from the DPL)) Adrian Bunk <bunk@debian.org> - 2025-11-17 13:30 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Charles Plessy <plessy@debian.org> - 2025-11-17 02:00 +0100
                Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Metzler <ametzler@bebt.de> - 2025-11-17 19:10 +0100
    Re: Seeking new members for the DFSG team (Re: Bits from the DPL) Andreas Tille <andreas@an3as.eu> - 2025-11-04 18:40 +0100

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