From: D. Ben Knoble <ben.knoble@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 21:06:46 GMT
Subject: Re: Signed-off-by & the law
Message-ID: <CALnO6CDN6EZq6VPhUOPbO5uV09qzjsrJeU+uyvcy8BNFMqAynA@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqy0pa1rth.fsf@gitster.g>

On Thu, Oct 16, 2025 at 5:04 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> "D. Ben Knoble" <ben.knoble@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Any contributors/users with an interest in law feel like taking a stab
> > at answering "Is Git's signed-off-by legally useful" ?
> > https://law.stackexchange.com/q/111158/26698
> >
> > Having a solid reference answer is usually a good thing, if one exists.
>
> The meaning of Sign-off is left to the project that adopts the
> trailer as its own convention.  Our SubmittingPatches document
> governs our project and nothing else, and defines how we use the
> trailer (namely, you sign if you certify your patch is being
> submitted under DCO).
>
> So the confusion by original questioner is understandable.  You
> would be confused if you only see a Sign-off without project
> context and you are forced to answer what it means, because see
> above.

Thanks—I think I tried to convey this in a comment and did a poor job.
Let me cite this as part of an answer, perhaps.

-- 
D. Ben Knoble