[Licom-l] GFDL 1.2

Thu Jun 11 19:30:11 UTC 2009

On Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 11:56 AM, Huib
Laurens<Abigor at forgotten-beauty.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> There are on Commons on this moment 14,704 images with a gfdl 1.2 only
> tag (And there are coming more and more a day)
>
> As I believe this license can't be used on a gfld 1.2 and newer license,
> so can this license still be used on Commons or Wikimedia projects. Or
> do we need to stop accepting this license template?

Short answer:  They're fine for now.

Longer answer:  Nothing about the licensing update requires us to
eliminate or stop using GFDL 1.2 images.  Since the WMF embraces the
argument that one can mix and match image licenses and text, then that
applies just as well to GFDL 1.2 images as it does to things like FAL
or GPL.  So there is no fundamental conflict with the continued
existence, use, or fresh uploading of GFDL 1.2 media.

However, I think most informed observers agree that the GFDL is a
pretty limited form of "free" when applied to media.  For that reason,
I personally think discouraging or limiting its use makes sense.  (For
example removing GFDL-only as an option in the upload form.)  At some
point maybe even eliminating the GFDL 1.2 images should be on the
table, but that's not the immediate issue.  However, such changes are
largely outside the scope of the licensing update project.

In broad terms, the WMF considers GFDL images to be permissible.
Beyond that it is a question for the community to decide how, when,
and why they should be used.  The licensing update does not require
that anything be done about GFDL 1.2 images, though the communities
may separately choose to act on this issue if that's what they decide.

-Robert Rohde