I think this is exactly the issue in question.

Are we donating the copyrights to bomis or not?

Regardless of what we decide on the issue, unless wikipedia becomes a legal entity the text will have to be changed. If we decide to donate copyright, the text should read something like:

[ ] "I own the copyright to this file, and I hearby assign it to Bomis, inc."

Then there should be an included check box which says:

[ ] "This file is in the public domain."

If we decide not to assign copyright to bomis, it should read like the new text and say:

[ ] "I hereby affirm that this file is in the public domain, or that I own the copyright for this file and make it avalable under GNU FDL."

-----Original Message----- From: Brion Vibber To: wikipedia-l@nupedia.com Sent: 2/6/02 7:13 PM Subject: [Wikipedia-l] Copyright notices

While we're on the subject of copyright notices, a little question about the copyright assertion on the upload page. Currently it reads:

[ ] I hereby affirm that this file is *not copyrighted*, or that I own the copyright for this file and donate it to Wikipedia.

Which has been questioned as ambiguous as to whether the *use* or the *copyright* of the file is being donated. A revised version was just checked into the code in the CVS repository which reads:

[ ] I hereby affirm that this file is *not copyrighted*, or that I own the copyright for this file and place it under GPL licence.

Now, I'm assuming that the "GPL" is a typo for "GFDL", which can be easily corrected before the change goes online. With that in mind, can we all agree that the new message is sufficiently clear and correct? If not, what ought it to say?

-- brion vibber (brion @ pobox.com)

[Wikipedia-l] To manage your subscription to this list, please go here: http://www.nupedia.com/mailman/listinfo/wikipedia-l