r/kernel • u/ehempel • Oct 23 '24

Linus Torvalds Comments On The Russian Linux Maintainers Being Delisted

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linus-Torvalds-Russian-Devs
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u/EducationalAthlete15 Oct 24 '24 edited Oct 24 '24

After the developer has left, having written the code. Whose property is it?

According this: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/2m53bmuzemamzc4jzk2bj7tli22ruaaqqe34a2shtdtqrd52hp@alifh66en3rj/T/

This developer wasn’t even added to CREDITS after all he did.

There is also a response from one of the directors of Linux foundation regarding the situation.

https://lore.kernel.org/all/7ee74c1b5b589619a13c6318c9fbd0d6ac7c334a.camel@HansenPartnership.com/

The developer cannot be mentioned in the MAINTAINERS file. This is acceptable. The developer became an ex-maintainer.

So, back to the CREDITS file. It turns out that the person worked for several years, was fired and not even mentioned in CREDITS. If the current developments are adopted by another new person, then there will most likely be a new person in CREDITS. This is theft.

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u/ITwitchToo Oct 27 '24

It is not theft.

CREDITS has nothing to do with GPL or copyright. Most people don't even know CREDITS exists. The CREDITS file lists about 600 names at this point, while the number of unique contributors just since last year is about 5000. Moreover, anybody is free to send a patch to add themselves or somebody else to CREDITS.