[Incubator] Asking permission to copy portion of code in the public domain

[Cameron Shorter]

On 03/01/12 07:09, Frank Warmerdam wrote:
> On 12-01-02 11:39 AM, Martin Desruisseaux wrote:
>> Do I have Osgeo permission to publish in public domain derivative 
>> work of
>> AffineTransform2D, GeneralMatrix, GeneralDirectPosition and similar 
>> "simple"
>> classes writen by myself?
>
> Martin,
>
> OSGeo holds such copyright on behalf of projects.  I think the optimal
> course would be for the Geotools PSC to make a motion supporting the
> assignment, and the Geotools PSC chair/board liason to declare it in
> force on behalf of OSGeo (as an officer of the foundation).
>
> I certainly have no concern about the proposed action.
>
> Best regards,

Martin,
(Usual I'm not a lawyer intro ...)
I assume that you were employed while writing such code? As such, I 
expect that your employer would retain copyright to the code (while 
still giving copyright to OSGeo), and as such, your employer is allowed 
to re-licence the software under whatever licence your employer chooses 
- be that another OS license, a proprietary licence, or public domain.
Of course, it is nice to ask as well, but that should just been seen as 
a courtesy.