Re: [boost] Re: License updates for 1.30.2 - feature request

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-09-19 18:45:53

At 02:46 PM 9/19/2003, David Abrahams wrote:
 >Dick.Bridges_at_[hidden] writes:
 >
 >> If the reference to the license were somehow tagged (e.g.,
 >> <license></license>) it would be much easier to use automated methods 
to
 >> locate, verify and give legal the warm fuzzies about using the 
libraries.
 >> If nothing else, it would reduce the number of files that had to be
 >> examined "by hand".
 >
 >It seems to me that mandating a standard license reference text should
 >be enough, no?  Writing a tool to find these while accounting for
 >comment boundaries and line breaks is pretty darned simple.

Yes, that was my thought too. I've been assuming we would add a check for 
the license reference text to the inspect program (see 
boost-root/tools/inspect) that runs daily. The current output is at 
http://boost.sourceforge.net/regression-logs/inspection_report.html

Regardless of the exact methodology, Dick is correct that we need an 
automatic method of verifying license information. It should be in place 
before the next release.

--Beman