[Wikipedia-l] When faced with the question: To GNU or not GNU? We chose to GNU and it has made all the difference.

[Daniel Mayer]

On Tuesday 06 August 2002 05:08 pm, you wrote:
>But Wikipedia is not about copyright activism, 
>it's about making an encyclopedia.
>
> --Jimbo

Then why do we use the GNU FDL?  GNU is /all/ about using copyright law to 
free code, content and the people who use and create code and content. 

The fact that Wikipedia even exists, not to mention is so successful is a 
major form of GNU-directed copyright activism. I have little doubt that 
Wikipedia will one day be /the/ source for encyclopedic knowledge for the 
world. And what copyright license will all that content be under? 

GNU FDL

What copyright license will anybody have to use to incorporate their work 
into that huge body of knowledge?;

GNU FDL

The fact that we use this license and are headed to be /the/ repository of 
knowledge will lead to many derivative works. All of these will have to be 
copyrighted with the;

GNU FDL

Forget mere activism, we are doing far more than that here -- we are 
beggining the process of changing the way copyrights are used for content 
through our continued increases in both depth and breadth. 

Britannica doesn't fear us now but Microsoft likewise did not fear the Linux 
operating system during its first few years.   

Stepping down from my soapbox.

Sorry, that's why they call me mav