Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to some common questions about the arrangements for contributing to projects.

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Why do you ask contributors to send in the agreement?

We need to make sure that we ‐ and the users of our software ‐ are legally entitled to distribute your contributed code, anywhere in the world.

Do I have to submit the Contributor License Agreement form for each project I contribute to?

No, you only need to submit the Contributor License Agreement once. It covers you for all Canonical projects, now and in the future. After you complete the Contributor License Agreement form for one Canonical project, you will not have to worry about it again.

Who owns the copyright?

You do. Section 2.1(a) states the following:

“You retain ownership of the Copyright in Your Contribution and have the same rights to use or license the Contribution which You would have had without entering into the Agreement.”

Can I contribute the same code to other projects as well?

Yes. You retain the full rights to redistribute your own code as you wish. The agreement is not exclusive and you may contribute what you write to as many other projects or organisations as you wish to share it with.

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