[parted-devel] [Parted-maintainers] Debian Bug #578097: No support for CMS-formatted disks in parted

[Stephen Powell]

On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:44:59 -0400 (EDT), Jim Meyering wrote:
> Your patch is large enough that we have to require
> a signed copyright assignment.
> 
> Here's the relevant section from HACKING:
> 
>   http://git.debian.org/?p=parted/parted.git;a=blob;f=HACKING#l428
> 
> Sorry for the hassle (it'll mean you sending an email,
> waiting for snail/paper mail, and signing and sending that
> back to the FSF), but it's for a good cause.

Well, I started the paperwork process, but I'm a little concerned about
one of the questions on the form: Do you have an employer who might
claim to own your changes?  (Or words to that effect.)  Yes, I do have
an employer.  And yes, I did test the changes on their mainframe; so
if they want to be obnoxious about it, they could, in theory, cause
trouble.  I guarantee you they don't care.  They don't know, and they
don't want to know.  But if FSF insists on my employer signing a
copyright assignment or a quit claim, then we may have trouble.  I
guarantee my employer doesn't care.  But managers tends to think
like this:  "If I sign this form, I might possibly get in trouble
later with my boss.  But if I don't sign this form, there's no way
I'll ever get in trouble.  There's no benefit to me if I sign it,
and there's no hurt to me if I don't sign it.  Hmm.  What should I
do?"

What would you do?

I'll continue working on this, but you may have to derive the
enhancements yourself from scratch based on the published specs
in "Device Drivers, Features, and Commands" and the Linux kernel
source if FSF or my employer gives me trouble.  It's not that I don't
want to help.  It's just that ... well, I think you understand the
situation I'm in.

-- 
  .''`.     Stephen Powell    
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