[WikiEN-l] There are no pictures in Wikipedia any more

[Steve Summit]

geni wrote:
> On 24/09/2007, Steve Summit <scs at eskimo.com> wrote:
>> You know, the number of Wikipedia articles with pictures in them
>> is really plummeting.
>
> No it isn't. Total number of media files on en is currently 758,221.

Thank you for a pedantic, literal answer which misses the point.
I knew someone would.

>> I just went from [[Talia Shire]] to [[Joey Tribbiani]] to
>> [[Matt LeBlanc]] and noticed that there were no pictures in any of them.
>
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Matt_leblanc_1995_emmy_awards.jpg
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Matthew_Perry_by_David_Shankbone.jpg

Splendid!  Thank you.  I will see about using those.

>> I'm afraid I know the answer, but would there be any way of reversing
>> the various death-to-all-but-the-most-rampantly-free-images trends?
>
> Yes. Is there a way that would widely be considered ethical? No.

Define "widely".

Considered ethical by a vocal few who have the stamina to impose
their views everywhere?  Certainly not.  By a majority of
Wikipedia editors?  I don't know.  By publicists who would love
to have high-quality (if copyrighted) images disseminated widely?
Certainly yes.  By a majority of our readers?  Certainly yes.