Difference between revisions of "Developer Certificate Of Origin"

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to the Linux kernel.
 
to the Linux kernel.
  
The text of the DCO is located in the file [http://lwn.net/Articles/139918/ Documentation/SubmittingPatches (v2.6.12)]
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The text of the DCO is located in the file [http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=blob;f=Documentation/SubmittingPatches Documentation/SubmittingPatches]
 
in the Linux kernel source tree.  As of this writing (2008), the certificate of origin is  
 
in the Linux kernel source tree.  As of this writing (2008), the certificate of origin is  
  

Revision as of 10:01, 28 April 2010

In May 2004, the kernel development community decided to standardize on a requirement to adhere to a Developer Certificate of Origin for contributions to the Linux kernel.

The text of the DCO is located in the file Documentation/SubmittingPatches in the Linux kernel source tree. As of this writing (2008), the certificate of origin is

The full text of the DCO version 1.1 is:

        Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1

        By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:

        (a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I
            have the right to submit it under the open source license
            indicated in the file; or

        (b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best
            of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open source
            license and I have the right under that license to submit that
            work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part
            by me, under the same open source license (unless I am
            permitted to submit under a different license), as indicated
            in the file; or

        (c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other
            person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified
            it.

        (d) I understand and agree that this project and the contribution
            are public and that a record of the contribution (including all
            personal information I submit with it, including my sign-off) is
            maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed consistent with
            this project or the open source license(s) involved.

There is a kernel thread discussing the original proposal from Linus here (google groups). And here (aimsgroup).

Here is another article describing rationale for the 1.1 version: Clarifying the Developer's Certificate of Origin KernelTrap, June 14, 2005

Example

Here is an example Signed-off-by line, that indicates the submitter accepts the DCO:

Signed-off-by: John Doe <john.doe@hisdomain.com>

Older versions

The original DCO, version 1.0, read:

    Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.0

    By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:

    (a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I have the right
    to submit it under the open source license indicated in the file; or

    (b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best of my knowledge,
    is covered under an appropriate open source license and I have the right under that
    license to submit that work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part
    by me, under the same open source license (unless I am permitted to submit under a
    different license), as indicated in the file; or

    (c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other person who
    certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified it.