From cd1b7564721a65e21b326e440cbbe9fafa5ce948 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Dev_Ranger <30966416+DevRanger@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:16:15 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] policy updates --- README.md | 2 +- usage_guidelines.md | 103 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 104 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) create mode 100644 usage_guidelines.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index cad1e576..d73d80eb 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ The Digital Voice Modem ("DVM") Core Software Suite, provides the a set of appli Please feel free to reach out to us for help, comments or otherwise, on our Discord: https://discord.gg/3pBe8xgrEz -**THIS SOFTWARE MUST NEVER BE USED IN PUBLIC SAFETY OR LIFE SAFETY CRITICAL APPLICATIONS! This software project is provided solely for personal, non-commercial, hobbyist use; any commercial, professional, governmental, or other non-hobbyist use is strictly discouraged, fully unsupported and expressly disclaimed by the authors.** +**THIS SOFTWARE MUST NEVER BE USED IN PUBLIC SAFETY OR LIFE SAFETY CRITICAL APPLICATIONS! This software project is provided solely for personal, non-commercial, hobbyist use; any commercial, professional, governmental, or other non-hobbyist use is strictly discouraged, fully unsupported and expressly disclaimed by the authors. For full project policies and support limitations, see: [Usage & Support Guidelines](usage_guidelines.md).** This project suite generates a few executables: diff --git a/usage_guidelines.md b/usage_guidelines.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..eeb1a4d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/usage_guidelines.md @@ -0,0 +1,103 @@ +# DVMProject Usage & Support Guidelines + +This document outlines official DVMProject policies regarding project usage, support boundaries, and community participation expectations. + +DVMProject is licensed under [GPL-2.0](LICENSE). Nothing in this document restricts or overrides the rights granted by that license. You are free to use, modify, and distribute the software in accordance with the GPL. + +However, this document defines: + +- Use cases that the DVMProject team does not endorse +- Scenarios for which official support will not be provided +- Expectations for participation within official DVMProject communities and infrastructure + +These guidelines exist to ensure clarity, protect the project and its contributors, and set consistent expectations for users and integrators. + +Additional policies may be added to this document over time, with or without notice. + +--- + +## DVMProject Public Safety & Life Safety Use Policy + +### Purpose + +This policy formally clarifies the DVMProject stance regarding the use of DVMProject software, firmware, hardware designs, and any affiliated services in public safety or life safety environments. + +This policy applies to all users, contributors, integrators, and community members. + +--- + +### 1. Not for Public Safety or Life Safety Use + +DVMProject and any affiliated DVM projects, services, or infrastructure **are not designed, tested, certified, or supported for mission-critical use.** + +Under no circumstances may DVMProject components be used for: + +- Public safety communications +- Fire, EMS, law enforcement, or emergency management operations +- Life safety systems +- Critical infrastructure communications +- Any environment where failure could result in injury, loss of life, or significant property damage +- Even in a “support,” “backup,” “interoperability,” or “auxiliary” capacity + +DVMProject does not endorse, approve, or support such use cases. + +#### Receive-Only / Hobby Monitoring Clarification + +This policy does not prohibit passive, receive-only hobbyist monitoring of publicly available radio traffic, including streaming or ingesting external audio into a hobby or research system. + +This does **not** permit operational use, dispatch integration, field communications, or any scenario where public safety personnel rely on DVMProject systems for situational awareness or response. + +DVMProject remains unsupported and non-endorsed for any public safety or life safety role. + +--- + +### 2. No Warranty of Reliability or Fitness + +DVMProject is an open-source research and hobbyist project. + +It: +- Has not undergone mission-critical validation +- Has not been certified for regulatory or public safety compliance +- Does not guarantee uptime, redundancy, failover, or fault tolerance +- May change, break, or behave unpredictably at any time + +No representation is made regarding fitness for any specific operational purpose. + +--- + +### 3. Community Enforcement + +Use of DVMProject in violation of this policy may result in: + +- Immediate removal from official DVMProject Discord servers +- Revocation of community access +- Refusal of support +- Removal of related infrastructure from shared services (if applicable) + +Administrative action may occur without warning. + +--- + +### 4. Open Source Clarification + +DVMProject is open-source software. + +While we cannot control what individuals do outside official channels, we: + +- Explicitly prohibit public safety or life safety use within official DVM communities +- Will not provide support for such use +- Will not assist in configuring or deploying DVMProject in those environments + +Responsibility for unauthorized use rests solely with the deploying party. + +--- + +### 5. Acknowledgment + +By participating in DVMProject communities or utilizing DVMProject software, you acknowledge and agree to this policy. + +If your intended use case involves public safety, emergency response, or life safety communications, you must pursue solutions specifically engineered, validated, and certified for that purpose. + +--- + +**This policy is effective immediately. And subject to change at anytime.** \ No newline at end of file