[Commons-l] Image donations?

[Brianna Laugher]

On 21/06/06, Magnus Manske <magnus.manske at web.de> wrote:
> I don't have pretty icons yet, but a working form with "this is missing"
> feedback and a simplified license selection:
>
> http://tools.wikimedia.de/~magnus/image_donations.php
>
> I've added my default tools header so those of you interested can view
> the source.
>
> As some of you know, I can use the Eloquence bot to automatically upload
> images to the commons. I didn't add that capability to the script yet,
> as it is merely a demonstration.
>
> When you "upload" an image, the script will generate a demo
> "Information" template, as well as a (yet to be created)
> "{{check-automatic-upload}}" template that will ease checking for admins.
>
> Comments, please :-)

* Please forbid any image below say 800px on one side, and ALL mobile
phone pictures. They are the worst! (Even if they still upload a small
image, it might be fine, the important thing is to discourage it)
* Please enforce the user to pick a better name than the default one.
We have more than enough D23435646 and IMG345456456 and QZ23545657
image names already.
* Please DON'T encourage sunsets. :( :( :( :( :( Maybe encourage
pictures of their local area? at least they can ID that and we can
figure out if we can use it or not.
* Please ONLY allow this option: "I am the creator of this image, and
hold its copyright." The other option will be such a pain and near
impossible to verify, and trust me, there will be enough problems with
their own work.
* "The public domain (only recommended for images which are in the
public domain already)." Why??? I would remove this disclaimer and
list this first, from most-free to least-free (GFDL only). [OK not
least free but biggest hassle.] Just say "You grant anyone the right
to use this work for any purpose including commercial use, without any
conditions, unless such conditions are required by law." That's scary
(and true) enough.
* CC-BY-SA: "...and to be released in turn under a free license" -
change to "any derivatives of this work to be in turn released under
this license" (to my knowledge you can't just choose something else!)
* Please emphasise that licensing decisions cannot be undone in the
future and if unsure, they should not contribute

Instead of just having a big blank space, let's be smarter than
MediaWiki ;) and have separate fields for the required info.
"Description (Who or what is shown? Where is it located? Why is it
interesting or important?)"
Source should be self-made as I stated above
"Date (when was the image taken?)"
Author and Permission, no probs - but please don't put the {{license}}
in the permission field, put it separately below and in the Permission
field put a text statement like "X chose to release this image under
the Y license as part of the Z image donation drive."

I think we should limit uploads to something like 2 per person per
day. If they're uploading dozens of images they should probably get an
account (in fact, make that the alternative: do you have heaps of
great images to contribute? Sign up to WM commons and upload as many
as you want!) and also to discourage WM users from "anonymous"
uploading (WM users are probably a significant majority of donors
anyway, come fundraising time).

* How are we going to communicate to them where if anywhere their
image will be available? The email... eh. If we have to email them to
find something out it's already too much hassle, dump it. (IMO)
* Also categories... suggest five (somehow) based on their description
text & CommonSense and get them to pick the most relevant, or just
leave it up to the reviewers?

BTW this doesn't mean I support this idea yet, I just like critiquing
Magnus' UIs ;P

Brianna