On 3/2/07, Robert Horning <robert_horning(a)netzero.net> wrote:
This is effectively banning fair use from all but the
absolutely most
active projects and mandating that there is no fair use.
I don't agree that the project has to be among "the most active". A
similar policy has been in place on Wikinews for a while (new editions
were not permitted to enable local uploads unless they had a fair use
policy in place). Wikinews is orders of magnitude smaller than
Wikipedia, yet editions like the Polish Wikinews managed to come up
with a reasonable fair use policy. Necessity is the mother of
invention.
We don't expect these policies to be perfect from the start - they can
be improved over time. However, they have to be in place before fair
use uploads can be permitted. I don't see this as a major issue at all
-- it's not like the survival of any of our projects depends on fair
use -- nor do I agree with your characterization of this decision as
"micromanagement". To the contrary, this is pure "macro"management:
setting a standard which all projects must follow.
--
Peace & Love,
Erik
DISCLAIMER: This message does not represent an official position of
the Wikimedia Foundation or its Board of Trustees.
"An old, rigid civilization is reluctantly dying. Something new, open,
free and exciting is waking up." -- Ming the Mechanic