license for stuff in `macports-www`

[Ryan Schmidt]

On May 11, 2021, at 03:59, Jean Abou Samra wrote:

> Le 11/05/2021 à 10:39, Werner LEMBERG a écrit :
>> Looking at
>> 
>>   https://github.com/macports/macports-www/
>> 
>> I can't find a license statement that applies to the stuff in the
>> repository.  So: What license is it under?  I suggest to add a small
>> `README.md` file that mention it...
>> 
>> 
>>     Werner
> 
> 
> For context, we at LilyPond (think "LaTeX for music")
> would like to advertise MacPorts as an installation
> method for Mac OS in our website here:
> 
> lilypond.org/macos-x.html
> 
> Is use of the image at
> https://github.com/macports/macports-www/blob/master/img/macports-avatar.png 
> okay for that purpose?
> 
> From what I have read so far, I suspect it would fall
> within the range of fair use. It would be simpler, however,
> if the website content had an explicit license.
> 
> Thanks for your consideration,
> Jean Abou Samra
> 

Thanks for offering to mention MacPorts as an installation method on your web site. We always appreciate that.


I don't recall having to address the issues of logo license before though I agree we should figure it out. Usually when people link to us they do it with text, but using our logo does seem nicer. If we had a choice, do you have a recommendation for what license would be suitable for the logo and/or other web site content?


Looks like the MacPorts logo was first committed to the web site in 2007:

https://github.com/macports/macports-www/blob/9660ee91a3ba976dc492b529896d144265c9dbb4/img/macports-logo.png

A 2x resolution version was committed by Jeremy Lavergne in 2013:

https://github.com/macports/macports-www/commit/548f692cdf6f3b3aea014bb20088a6afcba8edee

An SVG recreation was submitted by Vincent Habchi in 2015:

https://lists.macports.org/pipermail/macports-dev/2015-December/032039.html

And a square version for use as an avatar image was committed by Rainer Müller in 2016:

https://github.com/macports/macports-www/commit/24451b4d29dca1e62d7d5dd237abec7632d7bbd8

We could ask these people what license they would apply to their work. But it seems evident that their intention was to contribute their work to MacPorts for use by the project, which in my opinion includes allowing other web sites to use the logo to link back to our site. In other words, I think it's fine if you use our logo that way.


Do you specifically need a square logo? I feel that the "macports-avatar" logo isn't as identifiable since it doesn't say "MacPorts", only "MP". If a rectangular logo fits into your design, I think we might prefer that you use our normal rectangular logo, either Jeremy's 2x PNG or Vincent's SVG.