[Python-Dev] Why does the Contributor Agreement need my address?

[Terry Reedy]

On 9/9/2018 1:49 PM, Antoine Pitrou wrote:
> On Sat, 8 Sep 2018 23:11:27 -0400
> "Joseph C. Sible" <josephcsible at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I'm used to signing CLA's that require nothing beyond a name and a check
>> box. When I went to sign the PSF Contributor Agreement so I can submit a PR
>> for CPython, I was surprised to see that it wants my address. Why does the
>> Python Software Foundation need this, especially when nobody else does?

I presume others are correct that an address helps as an identifier. 
Python is important enough to be a possible target of copyright 
lawsuits.  The purpose of collecting CLA's for all non-trivial 
contributions is to try to avoid lawsuits and make them easier to defend 
against should one happen anyway.  Part of the CLA is informing 
contributors that we only want code that can be legally contributed, and 
contributors agreeing that they will offer such.

> I don't think I've ever received anything from the PSF by postal mail,
> so if you don't want to give out your postal address, or simply don't
> have one, then you can probably submit a fake one.

DON'T DO THIS, anyone.  If you were to be a defendant or witness in a 
lawsuit, expect to be asked "Did you reside at this address when you 
signed the CLA?"  Lying under oath and admitting that you lied when 
signing are both unpleasant options.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy