Am 20.12.2007 um 19:25 schrieb Lukas Kahwe Smith:
So maybe enlighten me what the purpose of the CLA is.
The purpose is that a project/company/whoever has written confirmation
that the developer who contributes something gives the respective
entity full permission and license on copyright and, should he own any
that cover the contribution, patents.
My understand is that with all contributions done under a CLA it
becomes fairly easy for all users of the code to simply point anyone
sueing to the relevant contributor. The given code can be replaced
and life goes on except for the contributor. Without a CLA is
becomes much harder for the various users to pull their head out of
things as easily, which means they will have a much greater interest
in getting the case dismissed entirely.
No, that is not correct. With and without a CLA, the contributor who
commits something on which Foo, Inc. holds a patent, is the originator
of the patent breach. A CLA does not change that, nor protect from
that. The patent holder can, with and without the CLA, still sue both
you and the project you made the contribution to.
David