On Thu, 19 Feb 2004, Sascha Noyes wrote:
I agree with you that we shouldn't use a fair-use image for hard to get hold of images such as some exotic animal or plant. Only depictions we could only include if we were to convince the author to license it under the gfdl. (eg. historical events, or if some copyright-retaining government takes pictures of water on mars, etc.)
I apologize for not having paid careful enough attention to your earlier posts regarding the matter.
However, it's my opinion that your suggestion would be too complicated and also too tempting. I think we will be better off in the long run if the policy is no non free images at all.
Poorer articles than if we allowed some non-free images? Perhaps. But that small relative difference is drowned out (imo) by Wikipedia being as insanely comprehensive and well written as it is - and will be, in a few years.
Whereas the risk of "fair use" contamination at the expense of free images could be very significant in the long run. Again, imo.
-- Daniel