Simetrical wrote:
On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 6:52 PM, Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com wrote:
"require" seems unlikely. What difference is there between a project created today and one created a year ago from a legal standpoint? Do you mean to say it's more convenient to wait?
I vaguely recall something I'd heard in the past, either from a draft of the FDL 1.3 or a rumor or something. There was to be a new clause that went something like this:
"If the covered work was created principally by public collaboration on a website editable by anyone, which was created before the date June 25, 2005 [pulling that date out of nowhere], the licensee may choose to use the work under the terms of the GNU Wiki License instead of this license."
The provision was, obviously, meant more or less to target Wikipedia and offshoots of it, with the understanding that at the time they had no better options but that now they should move to a better license. But on the other hand, the date was presumably added because the idea would be new wikis should skip the GFDL altogether and move to the wiki license: this was meant to be a transition clause only.
I'm not on any committees and have no special standing or knowledge and have not signed any nondisclosure agreements, so the above may be nonsense. But if the issue is something along those lines, it would make a considerable amount of sense as a reason not to start any new wikis for a few months if necessary, if there was reluctance from the other participants to move up the date too much. It's not really a big price to pay.
I think it makes no sense at all. Anyone who thinks it's easier to change the world than to change the transition date in a secret draft license needs their head examined.
I can only assume group dynamics is to blame. I can easily imagine myself agreeing to such a nonsensical course of action in order to end a long argument with an incredibly stubborn person.
So, assuming that's the case, I give my sympathy to those involved, and wish them best of luck.
-- Tim Starling