Re: Why are so many great packages not trying to get included in GNU Emacs? WAS: Re: Making Emacs more friendly to newcomers

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Jean-Christophe Helary <address@hidden>
> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:45:43 +0900
> 
> > - An unwillingness to assign copyright to the FSF, seemingly often more due 
> > to
> >  inertia than any principled opposition.
> 
> It has been mentioned a number of times already.
> 
> I think that the process could be streamlined (and there is a need to check 
> that with the legal team I guess).
> 
> For one, the actually *submission* of the copyright assignment to the FSF 
> could me made to be as easy as a simple code commit, signed with something 
> like a gpg key or something.

Commit to what repository?

> Once the developer has simply "pushed that button," the contribution should 
> be considered valid, and then eventually the developer receives a PDF signed 
> by the FSF to confirm the assignment.

The assignment form requires one to file a couple of personal details
that are unlikely to be possible to be gleaned from a commit.  In some
situations, the assignment needs a disclaimer from the person's
employer to go with it, something that again is unlikely to be
triggered by any commit anywhere.

I believe these aspects of the copyright assignment process are the
ones that require a separate communication between humans.  Of course,
if it can somehow be simplified, I'm all for it.