Re: RFS: kernelcheck

[Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au>]

[moving to debian-devel as this is a topic broader than debian-mentors]

Master Kernel <master.kernel.contact@gmail.com> writes:

> Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au> writes:
> 
> > [To be likely to have your package sponsored,] You will need to
> > identify yourself; “Master Kernel” is hardly likely to be your real
> > name.
> 
> Is there *any way* that I don't have to disclose this information? I
> was contacted by a packager a while ago when this issue came up. He
> said it would be possible to work around it.

Well, if that person says it can be done, you'd be best to ask them for
the details.

I am all in favour of allowing people their anonymity, but the flip side
of that is anonymity is directly at odds with reputation: reputation
requires consistent use of an identity. If you want to operate with
Debian you are operating in a society built primarily on trust and
reputation. For that, we require identity to which that reputation and
trust can be associated.

Also, your expressive work is (whether you choose it or not) subject to
copyright, and you as a legal entity are the copyright holder; for
Debian to make use of your work under copyright law, we take on the
burden of assuring we have license to do so.

I'm not an ftpmaster, but I would be surprised if they want to take the
risk of distributing works for which the copyright provenance is
essentially unknown. I would imagine many prospective sponsors feel the
same way. I don't know, though, so I'm inviting further input.

-- 
 \       “Even if the voices in my head are not real, they have pretty |
  `\                                           good ideas.” —anonymous |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney