On Thu, 19 Feb 2004, Sascha Noyes wrote:
I agree with you that we shouldn't use a fair-use
image for hard to get hold
of images such as some exotic animal or plant. Only depictions we could only
include if we were to convince the author to license it under the gfdl. (eg.
historical events, or if some copyright-retaining government takes pictures
of water on mars, etc.)
I apologize for not having paid careful enough attention to your earlier posts
regarding the matter.
However, it's my opinion that your suggestion would be too complicated and also
too tempting. I think we will be better off in the long run if the policy is no
non free images at all.
Poorer articles than if we allowed some non-free images? Perhaps. But that
small relative difference is drowned out (imo) by Wikipedia being as insanely
comprehensive and well written as it is - and will be, in a few years.
Whereas the risk of "fair use" contamination at the expense of free images
could be very significant in the long run. Again, imo.
-- Daniel