[Foundation-l] BitTorrent Downloads of enwiki Images

[Florence Devouard]

Jeffrey V. Merkey wrote:
> Rory Stolzenberg wrote:
> 
>> On 3/9/07, Jeff V. Merkey <jmerkey at wolfmountaingroup.com> wrote:
>>  
>>
>>> I have compiled the entire library of Wikipedia's images and have a
>>> bittorrent server ready to export this library on the internet.  I am
>>> awaiting
>>> word back from the Foundation for approval to enable the torrents.
>>>
>>> I have developed an automated C based server system which mirrors all
>>> Wikipedia images and compiles them into .bz2 archives as a library based
>>> on XML revision and dump.   When I get final approval, I will export
>>> these torrents to allow the images to be available from the internet.
>>> I will be in Arizona meeting with Dine (Navajo) folks next week on their
>>> projects, but will have email access.
>>>
>>> The torrents will be available at
>>>
>>> http://www.wikigadugi.org:2780
>>>
>>> At some point.  I will let folks know when and if the Foundation has
>>> approved this.
>>>
>>> :-)
>>>
>>> Jeff
>>>    
>>>
>>
>> The Foundation does not own the copyright to (almost) all of those pictures.
>> Why do you need approval from them? As long as they're distributed according
>> to the terms of their licenses (assuming you aren't using copyrighted images
>> that Wikipedia uses under a claim of fair use), you don't need any
>> permission.
>>  
>>
> When I start distributing them, there WILL be DMCA takedown notices and 
> legal threats from various folks out on the internet
> I am certain, along with possible litigation.
> 
> That's fine. If someone wants to take me to Court for distributing 
> Wikipedia images, I have both the legal background,
> and the resources to defend such actions.
> 
> I need the Foundations permission because they are the source of the 
> images on the internet. In the event there is a DMCA takedown
> notice, I will notify the Wikipedia contributor on their talk page who 
> uploaded the image, wait for the response, then give the complaining
> party the time period to file suit if they really feel that strongly 
> about it, or work out some reasonable compromise (which would be best)
> between the parties.
> 
> Should someone want to file suit or really complain, then the Foundation 
> can make the call on whether or not the image should also
> come off Wikipedia without exposing the Foundation to the same level of 
> legal risks someone who is actively distributing the images
> would be. People who own copyrights may not have an issue with Fair use 
> images on Wikipedia as a encyclopedia, but they may have a more serious
> view when someone is distributing full downloads and archives of images 
> so people REALLY CAN host the encyclopedia. This will test that premise 
> and I would expect to see more people coming forward on image use in 
> general so the Foundation can more effectively identify images which
> may in fact be sources of conflict.
> 
> In essence, the Foundation will have a "buffer" of sorts one level away 
> from the forefront of these legal issues and at the same time be able
> to filter a lot of the conflict over image distribution. The other point 
> is, technically under the law, WMF may be considered the source
> of the images in some cases, and in that case, they would be the 
> responder to DMCA takedown notices. I think this would help
> clean up a lot of the images also (people would think twice about 
> uploading fair use images if they knew they were being repacked
> and distributed and that they may receive DMCA notices about the images).
> 
> At any rate, it would be impolite and a breach of loyalty to the 
> foundation and community to go ahead with such a plan without permission 
> and without giving the Foundation the opportunity to comment on the 
> proposal and offer suggestions.
> 
> Jeff

I still have not understood what you were asking the authorization for.
Images are under a free licence, so do not need our authorization to be 
distributed.

Can you provide the exact text of what you are asking authorization of ?

ant