[WikiEN-l] Aneurysm

[Brian Salter-Duke]

On Sun, Jun 10, 2007 at 12:43:24PM +0100, the wub wrote:
> Some users license their contributions by placing a statement on their
> user page. However they still have to release them under the GFDL
> also, see [[Wikipedia:Multi-licensing]]. For example I release my
> edits into the public domain: [[User:The wub#Licensing]]. I'd say that
> such a positive statement counts as a release, however a
> misunderstanding of our copyright when submitting an edit probably
> wouldn't.

I wonder whether, at least in some jurisdictions, if it came to a court
case, the court might rule that as our use of open source licenses is so
complex and so confusing, and that the editors have no idea really in
most cases what they are doing, that in reality we are releasing
material into the public domain and that we in general as WP or an
editor in particular can not claim any copyright on anything in WP.

I think I understand them, but I have been involved with open source
code for many years. I am, however, not at all confident, that we could
win, at least some cases, if they actually came to a court. I believe
the only case that has come to court is one relating to the German
Wikipedia. Of course in some cases it would be the person sueing that
lost for the reasons I state. I think it very unlikely indeed for example
that the copyright issues on the Bad Joke and other nonsenese stuff would 
ever course us any problem.

 
> On 10/06/07, michael west <michawest at gmail.com> wrote:
> > In images you can add a statement like that in the lisense but not in
> > normal wikipedia. If an editor beleived that once his edit was on the
> > wiki server it was no longer his (copyright) but part of the world
> > and beleived that he had reliniqushed all rights would that class as a
> > release? Although essentially he misunderstood his rights, does this
> > kind of tort have any validity in US law?
> >
> > > No. I release would be someone writeing something along the lines of
> > > "I release you from the requirement to credit me for this work"
> > >
> > > Of course such a stamtent may not have legal force in all countries.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > geni
> >
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> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> the wub
> 
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-- 
          Brian Salter-Duke            b_duke at bigpond.net.au  
               [[User:Bduke]]  mainly on en:Wikipedia.
           Also on fr: Wikipedia, Meta-Wiki and Wikiversity