[Foundation-l] Offering Wikibooks content for sale

[James Hare]

The major difference here between this bookstore and the Wikimedia CaféPress
store is that the latter is, if I'm correct, in the name of Wikimedia.
Perhaps if we found a way to transfer control to Wikimedia.

On 7/3/06, Robert Scott Horning <robert_horning at netzero.net> wrote:
>
> This is an idea that has been kicked around, and I want to congratulate
> one of the Wikibooks contributors by being bold and actually getting a
> print version of Wikibooks content available for purchase from an
> "on-line" store.  It can be found right now at:
>
> http://www.lulu.com/content/346504
>
> While I admire the effort that this user has put forth to get this put
> together, I am concerned that it might affect the tax-exempt status,
> especially as this link is found on a Wikimedia website and openly
> "advertising" that this content is available for sale.  Please see this
> page for an example:
>
> http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikijunior
>
> This is some outstanding content that has been fermenting on Wikibooks
> now for over a year and a half, and is really the first fruits of the
> Wikijunior sub-project on Wikibooks.  This user is also not trying to
> make any profit from the sale of this, and is really doing this just as
> a public service and going through Lulu Press simply because they are
> available.
>
> I am posting this to the wider Wikimedia Foundation List because I think
> some guidelines should be developed regarding "official" links on
> project pages for commercial content of this nature, and to what extent
> the use of the name "Wikimedia Foundation" can be on such content.  I'm
> also hoping that the legal list will get wind of this and offer a little
> bit of input as well in terms of how far can we go before we start to
> tread on the non-profit status of the WMF.
>
> Frankly, I'd like to encourage efforts like this, as it really can be
> beneficial to spread Wikimedia content beyond the close circle of
> internet users we currently have.  Wikibooks in particular is moving
> strongly in this direction, as we already have a couple dozen PDF files
> for Wikibooks that are nearing at least major proofreading stages rather
> than content building.  It seems logical that an on-line bookstore is
> going to happen in one form or another with this content, and many other
> users are going to be doing this.  Links of this nature should remain
> relatively low-key and non-intrusive if you are trying to actually read
> the content
>
> The question I pose then is should we push the genie back into the
> bottle and stop this kind of linking, or should we as a community
> encourage further commercial publication?
>
> Should we allow commercial publication, but not allow links on project
> pages to commercial resources of this nature?  Be real careful here, as
> it does have implications for other Wikimedia projects as well,
> including Wikipedia "1.0" suggestions.  The GFDL does allow commercial
> publication, so the real point is if project pages can be used as links.
>
> Should there be some sort of formal organization, even if just on a
> local project level, that should control the content that is published
> in this manner?  Or should it just be done on an ad-hoc basis as
> individual users feel motivated?  This is mainly to see how commercial
> links are used on Wikimedia project pages, not that any other person can
> set up their own website and advertise they have published Wikimedia
> content but not have links on project pages.  A more formal organization
> can help do things like coordinate ISBN numbers and make sure that
> profits can be plowed back into the project.
>
> From my understanding of non-profit laws in the USA (IANAL), as long as
> we can show a need for the money that is legitimate (staff salaries,
> equipment costs, reasonable travel expenses, etc.) fundraisers of this
> nature aren't really too much of a problem.  Indeed several non-profit
> groups have on-line bookstores just for this purpose.  Assuming a
> runaway success with this sort of sale of content, we would have to do
> direct fundraisers less often.  I don't think too many people on this
> list would complain about that.  The only real problem might be apparent
> endorsement of a commercial enterprise.
>
> There is a control issue here that does need to be resolved, and that
> would be how much control does the WMF want to have directly over this
> kind of activity as well?  That would also involve the use of Wikimedia
> trademarks (aka Wikijunior) and logos.
>
> --
> Robert Scott Horning
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> foundation-l mailing list
> foundation-l at wikimedia.org
> http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
>