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[PATCH v2 1/3] Documentation: clarify and expand description of --signoff

From
Bradley M. Kuhn <bkuhn@sfconservancy.org>
Date
Oct 19, 2020, 21:25 UTC
Message-ID
<efec40f9432bfba531b4a6c9aed50d8f5e1aec13.1603142543.git.bkuhn@sfconservancy.org>
In-Reply-To
<cover.1603142543.git.bkuhn@sfconservancy.org>

Building on past documentation improvements in Commit b2c150d3aa (Expand documentation describing --signoff, 2016-01-05), further clarify that any project using Git may and often does set its own policy.

However, leave intact reference to the Linux DCO, which Git also uses. It is reasonable for Git to advocate for its own Signed-off-by methodology in its documentation, as long as the documentation remains respectful that YMMV and other projects may well have very different contributor representations tied to Signed-off-by.

Signed-off-by: Bradley M. Kuhn <bkuhn@sfconservancy.org>
Signed-off-by: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
---
 Documentation/git-commit.txt    | 13 ++++++++-----
 Documentation/merge-options.txt | 13 ++++++++-----
 2 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-commit.txt b/Documentation/git-commit.txt
index a3baea32ae..93bbae4ded 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-commit.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-commit.txt
@@ -166,11 +166,14 @@ The `-m` option is mutually exclusive with `-c`, `-C`, and `-F`.
 -s::
 --signoff::
 	Add Signed-off-by line by the committer at the end of the commit
-	log message.  The meaning of a signoff depends on the project,
-	but it typically certifies that committer has
-	the rights to submit this work under the same license and
-	agrees to a Developer Certificate of Origin
-	(see http://developercertificate.org/ for more information).
+	log message.  The meaning of a signoff depends on the project to which
+	you're committing.  For example, it may certify that the committer has
+	the rights to submit the work under the project's license or agrees to
+	some contributor representation, such as a Developer Certificate of
+	Origin.  (See http://developercertificate.org for the one used by the
+	Linux kernel and Git projects.)  Consult the documentation or
+	leadership of the project to which you're contributing to understand
+	how the signoffs are used in that project.
 
 -n::
 --no-verify::
diff --git a/Documentation/merge-options.txt b/Documentation/merge-options.txt
index 80d4831662..29e6030131 100644
--- a/Documentation/merge-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/merge-options.txt
@@ -80,11 +80,14 @@ actual commits being merged.
 --signoff::
 --no-signoff::
 	Add Signed-off-by line by the committer at the end of the commit
-	log message.  The meaning of a signoff depends on the project,
-	but it typically certifies that committer has
-	the rights to submit this work under the same license and
-	agrees to a Developer Certificate of Origin
-	(see http://developercertificate.org/ for more information).
+	log message.  The meaning of a signoff depends on the project to which
+	you're committing.  For example, it may certify that the committer has
+	the rights to submit the work under the project's license or agrees to
+	some contributor representation, such as a Developer Certificate of
+	Origin.  (See http://developercertificate.org for the one used by the
+	Linux kernel and Git projects.)  Consult the documentation or
+	leadership of the project to which you're contributing to understand
+	how the signoffs are used in that project.
 +
 With --no-signoff do not add a Signed-off-by line.
 
-- 
Bradley M. Kuhn - he/him
Policy Fellow & Hacker-in-Residence at Software Freedom Conservancy
========================================================================
Become a Conservancy Supporter today: https://sfconservancy.org/supporter
Previous: Bradley M. KuhnNext: Bradley M. Kuhn
Message 16 of 35 in “Clarify and expand description of --signoff”
  1. 0/1 Clarify and expand description of --signoffBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 15, 2020
  2. 1/1 Documentation: Clarify and expand description of --signoffBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 15, 2020
  3. Jeff KingOct 16, 2020
  4. Theodore Y. Ts'oOct 18, 2020
  5. Philippe BlainOct 16, 2020
  6. Junio C HamanoOct 16, 2020
  7. Jeff KingOct 16, 2020
  8. Junio C HamanoOct 16, 2020
  9. Junio C HamanoOct 16, 2020
  10. Jeff KingOct 16, 2020
  11. Bradley M. KuhnOct 17, 2020
  12. Junio C HamanoOct 18, 2020
  13. Theodore Y. Ts'oOct 19, 2020
  14. Junio C HamanoOct 19, 2020
  15. 0/3 clarify and expand description of --signoff & related fixesBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 19, 2020
  16. 1/3 Documentation: clarify and expand description of --signoffBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 19, 2020
  17. 3/3 SubmittingPatches: clarify DCO is our --signoff ruleBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 19, 2020
  18. 2/3 Documentation: stylistically normalize references to Signed-off-by:Bradley M. Kuhn, Oct 19, 2020
  19. Taylor BlauOct 19, 2020
  20. Junio C HamanoOct 19, 2020
  21. 0/4 clarify meaning of --signoff & related doc improvements in describing Signed-off-byBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 20, 2020
  22. 1/4 doc: preparatory clean-up of description on the sign-off optionBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 20, 2020
  23. 2/4 Documentation: clarify and expand description of --signoffBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 20, 2020
  24. Bradley M. KuhnOct 20, 2020
  25. Taylor BlauOct 20, 2020
  26. 3/4 SubmittingPatches: clarify DCO is our --signoff ruleBradley M. Kuhn, Oct 20, 2020
  27. 4/4 Documentation: stylistically normalize references to Signed-off-by:Bradley M. Kuhn, Oct 20, 2020
  28. Junio C HamanoOct 20, 2020
  29. Bradley M. KuhnOct 20, 2020
  30. Taylor BlauOct 20, 2020
  31. Bradley M. KuhnOct 20, 2020
  32. Taylor BlauOct 20, 2020
  33. Junio C HamanoOct 20, 2020
  34. Bradley M. KuhnOct 20, 2020
  35. Taylor BlauOct 20, 2020

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