Re: style(9) questions about Copyright comment

On Sat, Aug 1, 2026, 3:52 PM Steve Kargl <kargls@comcast.net> wrote:

> On 8/1/26 14:43, Warner Losh wrote:
>
> > On Sat, Aug 1, 2026, 12:29 PM Steve Kargl <kargls@comcast.net
> > <mailto:kargls@comcast.net>> wrote:
> >
> >>     In reading style(9), it states the comment with the
> >>     the Copyright should appear as
> >>
> >>     /*
> >>        * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Public
> >>        */
> >>
> >>     which appears contrary with regards to practice.  The
> >>     opening line for a Copyright comment contains a minus
> >>     sign, i.e.,
> >>
> >>     /*-
> >>        * Copyright (c) 1984-2025 John Q. Public
> >>        */
> >>
> >>     Should style(9) be fixed?
> >
> >
> > No. Both orders are common.
> >
> > I just updated and consolidated out copyright and licensing stuff too.
> >
> > https://docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/license-guide/ <https://
> > docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/license-guide/>
> >
> > I think things are consistent now, but if I've missed anything please
> > let me know.
> >
>
> Thanks for the pointer to the URL.  So, if I'm editing an older
> file with /*- ... */, should I leave the minus or should I remove
> it to be consistent with style(9).  Same question applies to /**.
>

Up to you for the /*- comments. I don't unlees I'm doing a big cleanup or
wrote the file, but it's left to individual judgement. For /** comments,
those usually are doxygen comments so i leave them alone unless there's a
really good reason to disturb.

Warner

-- 
> steve
>
>