2009/7/22 Mathias Schindler mathias.schindler@gmail.com:
On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 7:00 PM, David Gerarddgerard@gmail.com wrote:
(I've alerted the author that the NPG has not in fact threatened WMF itself)
As far as I know, WMF was threatened by NPG staff itself. So the statement is basically correct, but maybe misleading: "The National Portrait Gallery has recently taken legal action against the Wikimedia Foundation". Legal action may exist outside court and is not restricted to lawyers, the way it can be understood.
I would have said "threatened legal action" rather than "taken legal action", but yes, the WMF has been threatened. They seem to have been empty threats, though (it's easier to sue an individual than a fairly large charity).