Added upcoming clarification of copyright and license aspiration

README

@@ -1,24 +1,30 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                libburn.pykix.org
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-This all is under GPL. Wether it can become LGPL is currently very unclear.
+This all is under GPL.
-(So for now see explanation and GPL reference at the end of this text)
+(See GPL reference, our clarification and commitment at the end of this text)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+libburn.pykix.org
+By Mario Danic <mario.danic@gmail.com> and Thomas Schmitt <scdbackup@gmx.net>
+Copyright (C) 2006 Mario Danic, Thomas Schmitt
 
+Still containing parts of
 Libburn. By Derek Foreman <derek@signalmarketing.com> and
             Ben Jansens <xor@orodu.net>
 Copyright (C) 2002-2006  Derek Foreman and Ben Jansens
+These parts are to be replaced by own code of above libburn.pykix.org-copyright
+holders and then libburn.pykix.org is to be their sole copyright.
+This is done to achieve the right to issue the clarification and the
+commitment as written at the end of this text.
+The rights and merits of the Libburn-copyright holders Derek Foreman and
+Ben Jansens will be duely respected. 
 
-Mario Danic <mario.danic@gmail.com>, Luke Biddell <luke.biddell@gmail.com>,
+This libburn.pykix.org toplevel README (C) 2006 Thomas Schmitt 
-Anant Narayanan <anant@kix.in> , Thomas Schmitt <scdbackup@gmx.net>
-Copyright (C) 2006 Mario Danic, Luke Biddell, Anant Narayanan, Thomas Schmitt
-
-This libburn toplevel README (C) 2006 Thomas Schmitt 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Overview of libburn.pykix.org :
 
-Libburn is an open-source library for reading, mastering and writing
+libburn.pykix.org is an open-source library for reading, mastering and writing
 optical discs. For now this means only CD-R and CD-RW.
 
 The project comprises of several more or less interdependent parts which
@@ -40,17 +46,17 @@ by help of existing cdrecord frontends.
 
 The project components (list subject to growth, hopefully):
 
-- libburn  the library by which preformatted data get onto optical media.
+- libburn  is the library by which preformatted data get onto optical media.
            It uses either /dev/sgN (e.g. on kernel 2.4 with ide-scsi) or
            /dev/hdX (e.g. on kernel 2.6).
            libburn is the foundation of our cdrecord emulation.
 
-- libisofs the library to pack up hard disk files and directories into a
+- libisofs is the library to pack up hard disk files and directories into a
            ISO 9660 disk image. This may then be brought to CD via libburn.
            libisofs is to be the foundation of our upcoming mkisofs emulation.
 
-- cdrskin  a limited cdrecord compatibility wrapper for libburn.
+- cdrskin  is a limited cdrecord compatibility wrapper for libburn.
-           cdrecord is a powerful GPL'ed burn program included in Joerg
+           Cdrecord is a powerful GPL'ed burn program included in Joerg
            Schilling's cdrtools. cdrskin strives to be a second source for
            the services traditionally provided by cdrecord.
            cdrskin does not contain any bytes copied from cdrecord's sources.
@@ -58,17 +64,21 @@ The project components (list subject to growth, hopefully):
            runs, though.
            See cdrskin/README for more.
 
-- test     a collection of application gestures and examples given by the
+- test     is a collection of application gestures and examples given by the
-           authors of the library features. cdrskin for example originally
+           authors of the library features. The main API example for libburn
-           emerged from test/burniso.c and you can see traces of my first
+           is test/libburner.c .
-           steps in there. Explore these examples if you look for inspiration.
+           Explore these examples if you look for inspiration.
 
 We plan to be a responsive upstream. Bear with us. We are still practicing.
-Our build system is based on autotools which seem to be a bit smarter than me.
+
+
+                           Build and Installation
+
+Our build system is based on autotools.
 User experience tells us that you will need at least autotools version 1.7.
 
-To build libburn and its subprojects it should be sufficient to go into
+To build libburn.pykix.org and its subprojects it should be sufficient to go
-its toplevel directory and execute
+into its toplevel directory and execute
    ./bootstrap  (needed if you downloaded from SVN and not a release tarball)
    ./configure
    make
@@ -108,9 +118,10 @@ Project history as far as known to me:
     http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/libburn/2006-August/000446.html
     http://mailman-mail1.webfaction.com/pipermail/libburn-hackers/2006-August/000024.html
 
-- Mid August 2006 project cdrskin established a branch office in libburn
+- Mid August 2006 project cdrskin established a branch office in 
-  so that all maintainers of our tools have one single place to get the
+  libburn.pykix.org so that all maintainers of our tools have one single place
-  current (at least slightely) usable coordinated versions of everything.
+  to get the current (at least slightely) usable coordinated versions of
+  everything.
   Project cdrskin will live forth independendly for a while but it is committed
   to stay in sync with libburn.pykix.org (or some successor, if ever).
   cdrskin is also committed to support  icculus.org/burn  if the pending fork
@@ -122,21 +133,16 @@ Project history as far as known to me:
   cooperate. I have not given up hope totally, yet.
   I, personally, will honor any approach.
 
+- 2nd September 2006 the decision is made to strive for a consolidation of
+  copyright and a commitment to GPL in a reasonable and open minded way.
+  This is to avoid long term problems with code of unknown origin and
+  with finding consense among the not so clearly defined group of copyright
+  claimers and -holders.
+  libisofs is already claimed sole copyright Mario Danic.
+  cdrskin and libburner are already claimed sole copyright Thomas Schmitt.
+  Rewrites of other components will follow and concluded by claiming full
+  copyright within the group of libburn.pykix.org-copyright holders.
 
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-It is my understanding that you may put standalone binaries of our unchanged
-code on any suitable system if you only tell the user that the source is
-available for free in the internet. Refer to: http://libburn.pykix.org
-
-If you link to the libraries or if you make changes in our source, you will 
-currently have to release your own programs under GPL and nothing else, i fear.
-As it looks, no single one of us currently has the right to issue any other
-license.
-You may submit source changes which affect our standalone binaries and if
-they get included you may distribute binaries derived from our new code base.
-
-signed: Thomas Schmitt (and his understanding of GPL), author of this README.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -152,3 +158,38 @@ signed: Thomas Schmitt (and his understanding of GPL), author of this README.
     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
     along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
     Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Clarification in my name and in the name of Mario Danic, upcoming copyright
+holders on toplevel of libburn. To be fully in effect after the remaining other
+copyrighted code has been replaced by ours and by copyright-free contributions
+of our friends:
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+We, the copyright holders, agree on the interpretation that
+dynamical linking of our libraries constitutes "use of" and
+not "derivation from" our work in the sense of GPL, provided
+those libraries are compiled from our unaltered code.
+
+Thus you may link our libraries dynamically with applications
+which are not under GPL. You may distribute our libraries and
+application tools in binary form, if you fulfill the usual
+condition of GPL to offer a copy of the source code -altered
+or unaltered- under GPL.
+
+We ask you politely to use our work in open source spirit
+and with the due reference to the entire open source community.
+
+If there should really arise the case where above clarification
+does not suffice to fulfill a clear and neat request in open source
+spirit that would otherwise be declined for mere formal reasons,
+only in that case we will duely consider to issue a special license
+covering only that special case.
+It is the open source idea of responsible freedom which will be
+decisive and you will have to prove that you exhausted all own
+means to qualify for GPL.
+
+For now we are firmly committed to maintain one single license: GPL.
+
+signed: Mario Danic, Thomas Schmitt
+