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TheDeveloper Certificate of Origin (DCO) is a statement that a software developer agrees to, saying that "the contributor is allowed to make the contribution and that the project has the right to distribute it under its license."[1] It was introduced in 2004[1] by theLinux Foundation, to enhance the submission process for software used in theLinux kernel, shortly after theSCO–Linux disputes.[2][3]
DCOs are often used as an alternative to aContributor License Agreement (CLA). Instead of a signed legal contract, a DCO is an affirmation that a certain person confirms that it is (s)he who holdslegal liability for the act of sending of the code, that makes it easier to shift liability to the sender of the code in the case of any legal litigation, which serves as adeterrent of sending any code that can cause legal issues. Proponents of the DCO contend that it reduces the barriers of entry introduced by a CLA.[1]
Developer Certificate of OriginVersion 1.1Copyright (C) 2004, 2006 The Linux Foundation and its contributors.1 Letterman DriveSuite D4700San Francisco, CA, 94129Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of thislicense document, but changing it is not allowed.Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:(a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I have the right to submit it under the open source license indicated in the file; or(b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open source license and I have the right under that license to submit that work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part by me, under the same open source license (unless I am permitted to submit under a different license), as indicated in the file; or(c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified it.(d) I understand and agree that this project and the contribution are public and that a record of the contribution (including all personal information I submit with it, including my sign-off) is maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed consistent with this project or the open source license(s) involved.
