[Foundation-l] GFDL Q&A update and question

[Anthony]

On Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 1:03 PM, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton at gmail.com>wrote:

> >> But they aren't violating GFDL 1.3, since they aren't using it, so
> >> what was you complaint about?
> >
> >
> > My complaint was that the WMF was (and still is) copying and distributing
> my
> > copyrighted content in a manner other than that expressly provided under
> any
> > license I have granted them.
>
> Sure, but the license they're using doesn't recognise complaints so
> your complaint can only really be considered to be an informal request
> for them to change what they're doing.


Under the GFDL 1.2 their rights are AUTOMATICALLY terminated.  Under GFDL
1.3 they can be reinstated if you don't notify them.


> If you want to take any formal action you'll need to file a lawsui


A DMCA takedown notice would be a better next step.  I highly doubt going
all the way to a lawsuit would be necessary.

> (please don't! The fact that
> you're here suggests you did, at some point, support what we're doing
> here, please don't ruin it!).


It would be trivial for me to send a DMCA takedown notice.  I haven't done
so, because I think there's still hope that they're going to do the right
thing, and I'd rather come to a mutual agreement than threaten lawsuits.  I
only explicitly invoked permanent termination under the GFDL to protect
myself from having my license rewritten.  Erik is already trying to justify
this rewriting of the rules by saying that "it's always been an accepted
practice for web use to
attribute by linking to the history".  Of course this is false, because I've
*repeatedly* stated my objection to this on this very mailing list, but
apparently raising an objection here isn't enough.  Maybe a lawsuit now is
the only way I can stop this gradual removal of my rights.  Erik has made
his wishes abundantly clear.  He is "strongly opposed to all types of
'intellectual property'."

I *did* support what you were doing.  Of course, that was mostly before the
arbitration committee, before three revert rule enforcement, before WP:NOTE,
before Carolyn Doran, before Jimbo was accused of embezzeling, before the
fraudulent budgets, before GFDL 1.3, before lots of things.