[llvm-dev] Adding the LLVM license file to the monorepo root

[Alex L via llvm-dev]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your response! I think that you're right, and it would make
sense for the LLVM Foundation to drive this kind of change to ensure this
is done with correct legal compliance. I will close my patch and will reach
out the Foundation instead.

I would like to offer a different perspective of why adding a top-level
license file would benefit some downstream monorepo repositories.
Yesterday, Apple published a prototype downstream monorepo that can be used
for building Swift: https://github.com/apple/llvm-project-v1 . One of the
issues we encountered before publishing was the lack of a top-level license
file in LLVM's monorepo root SVN repo, as we created our own downstream
fork for the monorepo root on Github as well (
https://github.com/apple/llvm-monorepo-root). Before we could publish it,
we had to add a top-level LLVM LICENSE.txt file to our fork of the monorepo
root, to ensure that the repository was licensed. And even though the
monorepo root repository will go away once LLVM.org transitions to Github,
we will still need a top-level license file in our downstream fork of
llvm-project, to ensure that we aren't publishing files that appear to be
unlicensed on Github (specifically the top-level config files in
llvm-project).

Thanks,
Alex

On Wed, 17 Jul 2019 at 12:57, <paul.robinson at sony.com> wrote:

> Yes, there are objections to adding a top-level LICENSE.txt, which I also
> mentioned in the review.
>
> https://reviews.llvm.org/D64875
>
>
>
> It's obvious from the .gitignore discussion that different downstream
> projects handle their additions to /llvm-project in different ways.  If
> /llvm-project adds a top-level LICENSE.txt file, that creates requirements
> on how downstream projects manage the licenses for their additions;
> specifically it requires a LICENSE.txt file in each directory added to the
> top level. And probably messes with how people have to handle individual
> files added at the top level.
>
>
>
> While I understand your motivation is to simplify things, actually it
> doesn't; it changes how the license applies downstream, and that should not
> be done without proper discussion and advance notice.  In particular this
> is something the LLVM Foundation should initiate, if it feels this is
> appropriate, and AFAIK you are not part of the Foundation.  Sorry if that
> sounds harsh, but legalities are a minefield.
>
> --paulr
>
>
>
> *From:* llvm-dev [mailto:llvm-dev-bounces at lists.llvm.org] *On Behalf Of *Alex
> L via llvm-dev
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 17, 2019 2:29 PM
> *To:* llvm-dev
> *Subject:* [llvm-dev] Adding the LLVM license file to the monorepo root
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
>
>
> The llvm-project monorepo (https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project) is
> currently missing a top-level license file. It would be nice if there was
> one so that anyone unfamiliar with layout of the monorepo could find it
> right away.
>
>
>
> I have put up a patch that adds a LICENSE.txt file to the monorepo root:
> https://reviews.llvm.org/D64875. The file is copy of LICENSE.txt from the
> llvm/ directory.  Are there any objections to adding it?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alex
>
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