Process Improvements in the Kernel Development

Kalki writes "In an e-mail to the Linux kernel mailing list, sent Saturday, Torvalds proposed that kernel developers begin certifying that the code that they contribute is entitled to be included in the Linux kernel as well as a technique for "signing off on patches" that would better track which developers had handled source code contributions. check this Infoworld story on it."

Comments

Avoid even the appearance..

[hot_Karls_bad_cavern]

As taught to almost all people taking the moral high-ground, that are in the public eye:

Avoid even the appearance of wrong doing.

Guys, this is a great idea for accountability in the kernel source. In the next round, the "SCO" of that round might not be so blatently stupid and far more sinister. Please watch your code and keep it clean!

No Anonymous Code

[Short Circuit]

So what happens to people who want to contribute code, but don't want their name attached to it, for various reasons?

• Such as encryption development in France or China, where unauthorized encryption is illegal, IIRC.
  
• Or some employee whose boss wants to own all his creative work, on and off the clock.
  
• Or people who simply don't want to take the risk of being unfairly targeted by some software company for writing code that looks vaguely like the company's.
  
• Or people who had a great idea, but couldn't possibly know someone else had come up with the idea and copyrighted or patented it.
  
  
  IMO, it has its ups and its downs. It allows a greater degree of delegate-the-blame (Good for any large project, Objectively speaking), but it will reduce contributions.