Correction on GNU GPL use (was: Re: [Incubator] GeoNetwork motioned for graduation)

[Arnulf Christl]

Hi All,
my fault wrt to use of GNU GPL text. Everything is fine, see my comments below. 

Arnulf Christl wrote:
> Jody Garnett wrote:
>> Incubator list:
>>
>> I move that we recommend the GeoNetwork project to the OSGeo Board for 
>> graduation, with Jeroen Ticheler acting as the project representative.
>>
>> The GeoNetwork project has been diligent in meeting incubation 
>> requirements. I have been especially pleased to watch the project 
>> steering committee form and start making decisions in public 
>> (including the decision to apply for graduation at this time).
>>
>> The provenance review and incubation status links are here:
>> - http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/GeoNetwork_Provenance_Review
>> - http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/GeoNetwork_Incubation_Status
>>
>> Jody Garnett
> 
> Hi,
> if this needs a second I am willing to give it. Very nice work, well 
> prepared and from what I can see I have no objections to see GeoNetwork 
> graduate aoon. But I have a few comments.
> 
> == License ==
> There is a slight diff between the current GNU GPL and the text used in 
> GeoNetwork (as listed here: 
> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/GeoNetwork_Provenance_Review). In the latter 
> case there is a reference to the website only whereas in the original a 
> postal address is given.
> <original>
> You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
> along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
> Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA
> </original>
> 
> <geonetwork>
> You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
> along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
> </geonetwork>

I mixed this up myself, too eager to find diff in wordings (it happens so often...) I compared the GeoNetwork version (which is V2) to GNU GPL V3 - and there they now use a link instead of the pastal address. The old one perfectly fine, so this q is answered. 

Sorry for the confusion!

Arnulf. 

> This is not a real world problem but legally it means that you are not 
> using the GNU GPL.
> == Copyright ==
> I do not know what implications UN Copyright ownership might one day 
> have for us. From experience this kind of large organization might one 
> day find out that they have taken a strategic decision for some 
> proprietary vendor resulting in reduced support for an Open Source 
> project. This has recently happened with the IOSN (International Open 
> Source Network) where the UN association has been discontinued.
> In such a case it would be nice to know that OSGeo could get a license 
> or copyright assignment or - better even - full copyright ownership. 
> There are convincing examples to point at, one being Autodesk's donation 
> of MapGuide Open Source copyright to OSGeo or Google's donation of KML 
> copyright to the OGC.
> 
> 
> == PSC and Governance ==
> Comments and Questions on: http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/wiki/PSC
> 
> Detailed process:
>   1. Proposals are written up and submitted on the geonetwork-dev 
> mailing list for discussion and voting, by any interested party, not 
> just committee members.
> # Does this mean that anybody can also vote (not only discuss)? There is 
> some potential in this passage if a malicious group wants to take over. 
> Is a quorum required? What is the minimum +1 needed to pass a motion. 
> Imagine someone posting a hairy proposal in the afternoon of December 
> 24th and make it pass December 26th.
>   2. Proposals need to be available for review for at least two business 
> days before a final decision can be made.
> # That seems a very short time to me. I would not be able to review that 
> quick. Suggestion to make it at least three and add "business days".
>   3. Respondents may vote "+1" to indicate support for the proposal and 
> a willingness to support implementation.
>   4. Respondents may vote "-1" to veto a proposal, but must provide 
> clear reasoning and alternate approaches to resolving the problem within 
> the two days.
>   5. A vote of -0 indicates mild disagreement, but has no effect. A 0 
> indicates no opinion. A +0 indicate mild support, but has no effect.
>   6. Anyone may comment on proposals on the list, but only members of 
> the Project Steering Committee's votes will be counted.
>   7. A proposal will be accepted if it receives +2 (including the 
> proposer) and no vetos (-1).
>   8. If a proposal is vetoed, and it cannot be revised to satisfy all 
> parties, then it can be resubmitted for an override vote in which a 
> majority of all eligible voters indicating +1 is sufficient to pass it. 
> Note that this is a majority of all committee members, not just those 
> who actively vote.
> # Who are "eligible voters"? (see above q. wrt to quorum)
>   9. Upon completion of discussion and voting the proposer should 
> announce whether they are proceeding (proposal accepted) or are 
> withdrawing their proposal (vetoed).
>  10. The Chair gets a vote.
>  11. The Chair is responsible for keeping track of who is a member of 
> the Project Steering Committee.
>  12. Addition and removal of members from the committee, as well as 
> selection of a Chair should be handled as a proposal to the committee. 
> The selection of a new Chair also requires approval of the OSGeo board.
>  13. The Chair adjudicates in cases of disputes about voting.
> Who is the TSC? It is only mentioned once here:
> http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/wiki/release_strategy
> 
> 
> Currently it is possible to edit all pages in the Trac Wiki including 
> this one: http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/wiki/PSC
> with the standard OSGeo user account. Maybe this page should be copied 
> to a more restricted place (geonetwork.osgeo.org) or it should be write 
> protected (thought I doubt that Trac allows for this).
> 
> As far as I am concerned none of these issues are blockers but I would 
> like to see them addressed or acknowledged before giving my plusone.
> Best regards, Arnulf.
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