Clarify emacs.g License

[cloudchin]

I'm highly interested in using emacs.g to bootstrap Borg but have no idea what the implications are for using or distributing it given there is no provided license.

Scenario: My current personal configuration is a private repo that for embarrassing reasons I'd like to keep private. I want to combine that code with Borg and:

• Use it as a Git learning experience
• Use a more versatile Emacs configuration framework and avoid numerous package.el caveats
• Learn and better leverage git-related magit
• Follow provided instructions, using emacs.g as a bootstrap
• Keep my novice mess private, only opening later when it has achieved not-garbage status.
• When I 'inevitably' achieve legendary emacsen-status, have my then-public dotemacs not have any crazy licensing restrictions sprung on it or other crippling hindrances.

You already provided instructions for creating a private repo, even explaining the "why" and "what" in git terms which is AWESOME, but you make no reference to Licensing and a lack of installation notes that would otherwise round out a well composed package kit seems... odd.

Related: How to Make a fork of public repository private? How does GitHub's “forking right” cope with an “All rights reserved” project?

Full disclaimer: I don't develop for a living, and I've never forked. Would love to be set straight.

[tarsius]

I would have preferred to leave this undefined but now you have forced my hand.

1. I believe that copyright does (or should not) apply to configuration.
2. I consider this repository to consist almost exclusively of configuration.

Only the seven line Makefile and four lines from from init.el are not configuration. That's only eleven trivial lines, which also aren't (or should not be) copyrightable.

-include lib/borg/borg.mk

bootstrap-borg:
    @git submodule--helper clone --name borg --path lib/borg \
    --url git@github.com:emacscollective/borg.git
    @cd lib/borg; git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/master
    @cd lib/borg; git reset --hard HEAD

(progn ;    `borg'
  (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "lib/borg" user-emacs-directory))
  (require  'borg)
  (borg-initialize))

The rest boils down to many instances of "use package X" and "set variable Y to Z". And a bit of documentation.

[cloudchin]

Thanks for clarifying, and for your emacs contributions.

I'm not sure how my question causes a "forced hand" though. Users need to know what the usability is for borrowed content. Leaving potential restrictions or complexities undocumented and undiscovered now can only hurt the noble efforts behind emacscollective. Do you disagree? Thinking it might help structure & disambiguate documentation too...

If you don't want sunlight on it (though that begs the question), maybe add a subtle link to your post in the readme?