Before you start to contribute to a project, please check if it’s already licensed. Never ever contribute to a project which isn’t properly license. If the project hasn’t licensed, then ask first before you even open up source code in your favorite editor.

Before you release your fabulous and newly made project, please make sure you have licensed it if you do want to receive contributions. If you don’t, no one is going to blame you, but please make a note clearly saying that you do not accept any contributions.

Nearly two year ago, I wrote about my concern about GitHub’s view towards open source license and respostores hosted by them. Things have never changed since then, and from time to time, I saw people making contribution to projects have no clearly written license or permission. I’m no legal person, but I am sure it would be a management and legal nightmare if the project someday grows into something like some common open source projects you use daily.

Recently, I opened two issues (#1, #2) to ask for proper licenses. The #1 in my view contains a mine since I didn’t see the last contributor responded, but the project owner added a license anyway. If they didn’t have communication behind the scene, then that would be a copyright issue since the owner didn’t have the right to license the contribution by the contributor even everyone has the permission to fork on GitHub and makes changes, because we all agree on GitHub ToS.

#2 is a brand new project and no contributors yet, so it’s really safe at this moment. As soon as the owner license his project, everything would be in good order.

GitHub is a dangerous place if you are not careful, and they don’t care. They only want you to make stuff on their websites. Are those you can call “contributions”?

Ask before you act.