The translation disclaimer
For most packages that make use of the Translation Project, the copyright on the translations should be disclaimed by the translators before these translations are accepted for inclusion in the distributions. There is a form (see below) that translators should fill out and send to the Free Software Foundation (FSF).
Some translators misread the translation disclaimer as an assignment of their translations to the FSF. This is not the case. The disclaimer merely says that the signer will never make use of the copyright on his or her translations: will never forbid copying them, and will never ask for some kind of compensation. This guarantees that the FSF (and everyone else) will always be allowed to freely distribute these translations. The FSF wishes to have this guarantee in writing, to be on the safe side.
A translator usually disclaims all translations he or she could produce for any package. Yet the need for disclaimers is decided on a per package basis. When a package maintainer requires disclaimers, disclaimers are needed for that package for all translations coming from any team. For GNU packages, maintainers do not really have a choice, as the GNU project requires disclaimers for almost all its packages. For non-GNU packages, the choice is up to the package maintainer. The safest for translators is to fill out and return disclaimers -- in this way they put themselves free, once and for all, to work on all translations they will feel like, whether GNU or not.
On the other hand, you may prefer to make legal arrangements other than the disclaimer below, e.g., for the sake of preserving copyleft protections on your translation. To do this, contact the package maintainer (and/or assign@gnu.org, if it's a GNU package), instead of filling out the disclaimer form below.
An unfilled form is available here:
Print the file out on paper, fill it out and sign it with a pen, slip the results into a paper envelope, lick a stamp and send it by non-electronic mail, using the old slow way, to the address given in the form -- or fax it to the given number. It may take many days for your envelope to reach the FSF's headquarters, and maybe two more weeks before your form is properly processed there. You have to account for postal delays, but also for the fact postal mail is handled in bursts at the FSF, maybe twice per month. When the disclaimer is received by the FSF, a notification of receipt is sent by the FSF to the coordinator of the Translation Project, which in turn acknowledges the receipt by emailing to both the translator and his/her team. One full month is not an overestimate, and you will be notified when processing of your disclaimer is complete.
A list of all translators for whom the FSF has received a signed disclaimer can be found on the authors page.
(Last updated on 2012-10-14 19:39 +0200.)