[syslog-ng] Signed-off-by usage

[Balazs Scheidler]

Hi,

You probably know that starting with 3.2 the license for syslog-ng has
changed and BalaBit has given up copyright assignment paperwork when
accepting patches into the source tree.

However I feel it very important to track who contributed what, and
using the git "Author" field is just painful.

So I'd like to start using a "standard" procedure what all the kernel
folks use, more specifically the "signed-off-by" line added to each
submitted patch.

All it takes is to add a

Signed-off-by: Random Developer <random at developer.org>

after understanding the implications. The implications are documented in
the kernel source tree (Documentation/SubmittingPatches), copied below
for simplicity's sake.

I hope this will make it easier for me to give credits where credits are
due. :)

I also updated the webpage on

https://www.balabit.com/network-security/syslog-ng/opensource-logging-system/community/contribution

For accumulated stuff, I may ask you to add a signed-off-by line for an
already submitted patch, in this case, all I need is a reply, posted on
the public mailing list, quoting the patch and adding a Signed-off-by
line, that I can copy-paste into the commit message.

Thanks.

PS: I still need to read my backlog of syslog-ng messages that got
accumulated during the winter holidays, but I haven't forgotten them, I
just got distracted.

---- quoted SubmittingPatches file ----

11) Sign your work

To improve tracking of who did what, especially with patches that can
percolate to their final resting place in the kernel through several
layers of maintainers, we've introduced a "sign-off" procedure on
patches that are being emailed around.

The sign-off is a simple line at the end of the explanation for the
patch, which certifies that you wrote it or otherwise have the right to
pass it on as a open-source patch.  The rules are pretty simple: if you
can certify the below:

        Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1

        By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:

        (a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I
            have the right to submit it under the open source license
            indicated in the file; or

        (b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best
            of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open source
            license and I have the right under that license to submit that
            work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part
            by me, under the same open source license (unless I am
            permitted to submit under a different license), as indicated
            in the file; or

        (c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other
            person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified
            it.

	(d) I understand and agree that this project and the contribution
	    are public and that a record of the contribution (including all
	    personal information I submit with it, including my sign-off) is
	    maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed consistent with
	    this project or the open source license(s) involved.

then you just add a line saying

	Signed-off-by: Random J Developer <random at developer.org>

Some people also put extra tags at the end.  They'll just be ignored for
now, but you can do this to mark internal company procedures or just
point out some special detail about the sign-off. 

-- 
Bazsi