Re: [PATCH] MIPS support for --hash-style=gnu

[Jim Wilson <jim dot wilson at linaro dot org>]

On 04/20/2016 07:16 AM, Joseph Myers wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Apr 2016, Neil Schellenberger (neschell) wrote:
>
> > >   Have you been able to sort out your copyright assignment paperwork with
> > > FSF meanwhile?
> >
> > Sadly this remains stuck with Cisco's lawyers (despite repeated prodding).
> > I think my next move will be to try to get them to assign the code to me
> > so that I can assign it to the FSF.  (Sigh.)
>
> At one point Cisco had a process for doing this; copyright.list has
>
> ANY     Cisco Systems, Inc.     2010-9-30
> Agreement to transfer copyrights in future via "Software Letters".
> Michael Enescu (CTO Open Source Initiatives)
>
> and then a series of subsequent assignments for particular GNU packages
> naming particular authorized people (but I see Michael Enescu is no longer
> at Cisco).

The Cisco process is complex.  The Cisco/FSF copyright assignment only 
allows the FSF to accept code from Cisco.  There is a separate Cisco 
internal process that has to be completed in order for Cisco folks to 
submit code to the FSF.  The Cisco/FSF copyright assignment requires 
software letters, that names specific people and specific projects.  If 
you don't have a software letter, the FSF can't accept code from you. 
The internal process requires about half a dozen signatures from 
different people in different groups at Cisco at different levels of the 
management chain.  The internal process also puts a number of 
restrictions on what can be contributed, and how it can be contributed. 
 You will likely have to complete the internal process before you can 
get a software letter.  With the internal process complete, it takes 
about 6 months to get a new software letter if you want to change the 
list of names.

When I was at Cisco, it took me 3 years to get permission to contribute 
gcc patches under reasonable terms.  And that was after the Cisco/FSF 
Copyright Assignment had already been signed.

I spent 4.5 year trying to get permission to contribute binutils 
patches, and then gave up and left.  The remnants of this attempt should 
still be open in the Cisco Open Source Initiative database.  You should 
try talking to the Cisco compiler group.

I tried the personal assignment route, and that went nowhere.  I 
couldn't get a usable disclaimer from Cisco.

I was working with Michael Enescu.  Now that he is gone, I don't know if 
that will make things easier or harder.

Part of the trouble with Cisco stems from the deal to buy Linksys, which 
eventually led to the FSF filing a GPL violation lawsuit against 
Linksys/Cisco, which required Cisco to accept a settlement.  This made 
the Cisco lawyers very reluctant to deal with anything FSF related.  I 
would expect that this issue will eventually die down, but not sure if 
enough time has passed yet.

Jim