This is an idea that has been kicked around, and I want to congratulate
one of the Wikibooks contributors by being bold and actually getting a
print version of Wikibooks content available for purchase from an
"on-line" store. It can be found right now at:
http://www.lulu.com/content/346504
While I admire the effort that this user has put forth to get this put
together, I am concerned that it might affect the tax-exempt status,
especially as this link is found on a Wikimedia website and openly
"advertising" that this content is available for sale. Please see this
page for an example:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikijunior
This is some outstanding content that has been fermenting on Wikibooks
now for over a year and a half, and is really the first fruits of the
Wikijunior sub-project on Wikibooks. This user is also not trying to
make any profit from the sale of this, and is really doing this just as
a public service and going through Lulu Press simply because they are
available.
I am posting this to the wider Wikimedia Foundation List because I think
some guidelines should be developed regarding "official" links on
project pages for commercial content of this nature, and to what extent
the use of the name "Wikimedia Foundation" can be on such content. I'm
also hoping that the legal list will get wind of this and offer a little
bit of input as well in terms of how far can we go before we start to
tread on the non-profit status of the WMF.
Frankly, I'd like to encourage efforts like this, as it really can be
beneficial to spread Wikimedia content beyond the close circle of
internet users we currently have. Wikibooks in particular is moving
strongly in this direction, as we already have a couple dozen PDF files
for Wikibooks that are nearing at least major proofreading stages rather
than content building. It seems logical that an on-line bookstore is
going to happen in one form or another with this content, and many other
users are going to be doing this. Links of this nature should remain
relatively low-key and non-intrusive if you are trying to actually read
the content
The question I pose then is should we push the genie back into the
bottle and stop this kind of linking, or should we as a community
encourage further commercial publication?
Should we allow commercial publication, but not allow links on project
pages to commercial resources of this nature? Be real careful here, as
it does have implications for other Wikimedia projects as well,
including Wikipedia "1.0" suggestions. The GFDL does allow commercial
publication, so the real point is if project pages can be used as links.
Should there be some sort of formal organization, even if just on a
local project level, that should control the content that is published
in this manner? Or should it just be done on an ad-hoc basis as
individual users feel motivated? This is mainly to see how commercial
links are used on Wikimedia project pages, not that any other person can
set up their own website and advertise they have published Wikimedia
content but not have links on project pages. A more formal organization
can help do things like coordinate ISBN numbers and make sure that
profits can be plowed back into the project.
From my understanding of non-profit laws in the USA (IANAL), as long as
we can show a need for the money that is legitimate (staff salaries,
equipment costs, reasonable travel expenses, etc.) fundraisers of this
nature aren't really too much of a problem. Indeed several non-profit
groups have on-line bookstores just for this purpose. Assuming a
runaway success with this sort of sale of content, we would have to do
direct fundraisers less often. I don't think too many people on this
list would complain about that. The only real problem might be apparent
endorsement of a commercial enterprise.
There is a control issue here that does need to be resolved, and that
would be how much control does the WMF want to have directly over this
kind of activity as well? That would also involve the use of Wikimedia
trademarks (aka Wikijunior) and logos.
--
Robert Scott Horning