Contributing to the Tie Public License

TPL is maintained by the TIE-LANG organization in the tie-lang/TPL repository. This page describes how to contribute.

What you can contribute

• Errata and wording fixes. Typos, broken cross-references, and unclear phrasing in the license text.
• Translations. A new language version, or corrections to an existing one.
• Interpretation notes. Explanations of how a clause is intended to apply, for the FAQ.
• The website. Fixes and improvements to this site (tpl-www).

How the license text changes

The license text is versioned and frozen. Each released version is immutable: once TPL 2.3 is published, its text does not change. Corrections and improvements go into the next version (for example TPL 2.4), and works already distributed under an earlier version remain governed by that version (Section 14.3).

This is deliberate: adopters need to know that the terms they accepted will not be edited underneath them.

Proposing a change

• Open an issue describing the problem and, where possible, the wording you propose. Explain the effect on adopters, not just the wording.
• For a concrete draft, open a pull request against the drafts directory. Drafts are reviewed before any version is released.
• Changes that would alter the legal effect of a clause, rather than clarify it, are treated as a new version, not as errata.

Contributing a translation

A translation is proposed as a file alongside the other language versions. Before it can be designated an Official Translation it must:

• follow the structure of the English text — the same section and clause numbering, so that cross-references resolve in every language;
• keep the section headings' anchor form and the notice templates in the Appendix usable as written;
• be reviewed for legal accuracy by someone competent in the target language; a translation carries the Licensor's endorsement once designated, so it is held to a higher standard than a working rendering.

Designations are recorded in OFFICIAL-TRANSLATIONS.md. A new license version requires a fresh designation.

Contributions to the text itself

Unless you state otherwise, anything you submit for inclusion in the license text is offered under the terms of the License itself (Section 7.1), and you represent that you have the right to submit it (Section 7.2).

Where to file

• License text and translations: tie-lang/TPL
• This website: tie-lang/tpl-www
• The tie language itself: tie-lang/tie-main