Why_CLA?#
As of Sep 15, 2010 a CLA is no longer required. This page is being maintained for historical purposes
Why a CLA for freeIPA#
We have established clear guidelines for contributions of code, documentation, patches, and artwork to the freeIPA project.
Every free software/open source (FOSS) project requires legal guidance with regard to copyrights, patents, and trademarks. While some projects require full copyright assignment to the project or a sponsoring organization, others allow individual contributors to retain their copyright.
We have decided to expand on the popular Fedora model and, with the community in mind, developed a generic Contributor License Agreement (Download the CLA). The CLA grants to Red Hat, as the sponsor of the project, a license on all code contributed to the project. This permits Red Hat to license the code under a FOSS license of its choice. The author of the code continues to hold the copyright in that code, and is free to contribute the same code to other projects and to license it under whatever terms the author desires.
The CLA needs to be completed and sent to Red Hat before you begin contributing code to any of the projects listed in Appendix A of the document. At that point all your contributions, if accepted by the project, are covered by the CLA.
Q: Why do you require me to sign a CLA ?
A: We think it is important for a central organization to manage the various legal issues surrounding FOSS projects. With a CLA, we will be able to react and respond to these issues on behalf of the entire project. We are committed to the values underlying FOSS, and these provisions are meant solely to keep the project safe from legal problems that may arise.
Q: What if I am already contributing code to Fedora? Does this CLA still need to be completed?
A: Yes. This CLA is modeled on the original Fedora CLA, but with some improvements. By completing the new CLA, you can begin contributing code to any of the projects listed in Appendix A. This doesn’t affect any of your rights in your previous contributions.
Q: Why is the license granted to Red Hat and not to the project?
A: Most FOSS projects are not organized as legal entities. In some cases, difficult issues can arise if ownership and licensing of copyright is not administered properly. By licensing the code to Red Hat, the author retains ownership of the copyright. Red Hat helps by managing the licensing of the project code under the appropriate FOSS license.
If you want to contribute, please complete the form and send it back to the address indicated on the form.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CLA, please email the email listed in the Download the CLA