[Linux-aus] Advice for releasing code

[John Kristensen]

Hello Anthony,

On 20/01/15 15:35, Anthony Towns wrote:
> On 20 January 2015 at 12:56, John Kristensen <john at jerrykan.com
> <mailto:john at jerrykan.com>>wrote:
> 
>     Towards the end of last year I spent a bit of work time developing a
>     simple tool for internal use, but it is generic enough that it may be
>     useful to others.
> 
>     I would like to release the code under a free license, but because a
>     large part of the code was developed during work time it isn't as simple
>     as slapping a license on it a pushing it out to github.
> 
>     My manager is supportive of the idea and has asked the usual
>     people/departments about what the procedure is, but the only response
>     seems to be "we don't know, talk to the lawyers".
> 
>     I work for one of the Tasmanian state government departments, so before
>     we "talk to the lawyers" we though it might be helpful if we could find
>     any existing policies/procedures that exist within governments in other
>     states or at a national level.
> 
> 
> ​I thought there might be something from the AGIMO documents from a
> while ago, but it looks like that's all related to procurement, rather
> than internal development. I did find this from Qld though:
> 
> """​Policy requirement 4: Conditions for release of Queensland
> Government software as OSS
> 
> A business assessment, including legal considerations, must be
> undertaken prior to any Queensland Government owned software being
> contributed or released as open source. Copyright in any such software
> should be assigned to the Queensland Government. Any Queensland
> Government initiated open source software should be released under the
> GPL 3.0 licence."""
> 
>  --
> http://www.qgcio.qld.gov.au/products/qgea-documents/546-application/2481-open-source-software-policy
>

Thanks for this. While not the most comprehensive policy it is quite
helpful that there is at least one publicly available policy that we can
point to as an example of where this sort of thing is already happening
in government.

SeeYa,
John.

> Cheers,
> aj​
> 
> -- 
> Anthony Towns <aj at erisian.com.au <mailto:aj at erisian.com.au>>