[Foundation-l] Alternative approach for better video support

[GerardM]

Hoi,
It is not that obvious at all. When software needed to make use of data is
available without any kind of discrimination, it should suffice. At some
stage I created an 80 Mb database in Microsoft Access. Would you deny that I
could make this data available under the GFDL ?? I gave it to people, who
also had Access, and they were happy to have it. Now when you can convince
me that I did not have the right to make it available to them under the
GFDL, I will inform them about this and you can explain to them why they are
not entitled to use my data and/or you can explain to me why they can do
whatever they like with my data because they are not validly restricted by a
license.

My intention in this was clear, I wanted these people to have it and I
wanted to make sure that it stayed available under the conditions as I
understood them. This meant do what you like, but you cannot sell it to
someone else.  If GFDL data can only be used with Free Software, if it is
not permitted to change the format of the data and extend it when this makes
sense for a particular application, it would mean to me that the argument
that the Wikimedia Foundation happened at the wrong time because a liberal
license was not available has gained weight.

Thanks,
     GerardM

On 7/23/07, Anthony <wikimail at inbox.org> wrote:
>
> On 7/23/07, GerardM <gerard.meijssen at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hoi,
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GFDL#Transparent_formats for a summary of
> the
> > problems with opaque as terminology used.
> > Thanks,
> >     GerardM
> >
> There are differing interpretations of what a transparent format is
> (most of which are pretty obviously incorrect), but distributing more
> than 100 copies on paper without providing any digital copy at all
> pretty clearly violates the requirement to have a machine readable
> copy.
>
> It's also pretty clear that the license intends that copies encoded in
> proprietary patented formats to be considered opaque copies, even if
> some lawyer might be able to successfully argue otherwise.
>
> > On 7/23/07, Anthony <wikimail at inbox.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > On 7/23/07, GerardM <gerard.meijssen at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Hoi,
> > > > I have the idea that you are making projecting issues of the GPL on
> the
> > > > GFDL. The GPL insists that you have to provide source code. As far
> as I
> > > can
> > > > see, the GFDL does not.
> > >
> > > The GFDL requires you to distribute transparent copies if you
> > > distribute more than 100 copies.  "If you publish or distribute Opaque
> > > copies of the Document numbering more than 100, you must either
> > > include a machine-readable Transparent copy along with each Opaque
> > > copy, or state in or with each Opaque copy a computer-network location
> > > from which the general network-using public has access to download
> > > using public-standard network protocols a complete Transparent copy of
> > > the Document, free of added material."
> > >
> > > <blockquote>A "Transparent" copy of the Document means a
> > > machine-readable copy, represented in a format whose specification is
> > > available to the general public, that is suitable for revising the
> > > document straightforwardly with generic text editors or (for images
> > > composed of pixels) generic paint programs or (for drawings) some
> > > widely available drawing editor, and that is suitable for input to
> > > text formatters or for automatic translation to a variety of formats
> > > suitable for input to text formatters.</blockquote>
> > >
> > > Basically that is the document equivalent of "source code".
> > >
> > > > This is reasonable because a book can be published
> > > > on paper under the GFDL. It is not necessary to provide a digital
> > > version as
> > > > well.
> > >
> > > If you distribute more than 100 copies, it is.
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > foundation-l mailing list
> > > foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> > > http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > foundation-l mailing list
> > foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> > http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> foundation-l mailing list
> foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
>