[Wikipedia-l] File upload Copyright notice

[Larry Sanger]

On Thu, 31 Jan 2002, Axel Boldt wrote:

> The current file upload utility requires the user to "donate" the
> copyright to "Wikipedia". Wikipedia is no legal entity, so this
> doesn't make sense. It is also not in line with the way we have
> handled copyrights up to know for text submissions: the user retains
> copyright, but licenses the work under GFDL. I suggest that this be
> changed.

What makes it true that "we have handled copyrights up to now for text
submissions" in this way (i.e., with this interpretation)?  As far as I
can tell, Axel, you were the first to insist, several months ago, that
this was the case.  If I recall correctly, Jimbo and I admitted that this
might be a valid interpretation.  For my part, I thought it was obvious
from the beginning that writers are donating text to the project, in order
for it to be distributed freely to the public at large.  While I can
certainly freely admit that there are other interpretations, what I can't
understand is why you would think another interpretation is so clearly the
correct one.  I don't think we've settled the issue.

By the way, Wikipedia might soon join Nupedia as part of a Nupedia
Foundation; that then would be the obvious holders of Wikipedia article
copyrights.

Larry