[Licom-l] Two comments on m:Licensing Update

Fri Mar 27 07:45:10 UTC 2009

I just re-read the text at m:Licensing update and noticed two items
that I think could be tweaked for clarity; however, since this applies
to the proposed terms I didn't want to modify anything without running
it by Mike and Erik, etc.

At:

"You may import content from other sources that is only available
under the CC-BY-SA license, but not only under the GNU Free
Documentation License. You are under no obligation whatsoever to
obtain such content also under the GFDL.  If you import such content
..."

This construction feels mushy and I don't like the use of "such
content".  I think it would be more plain and clear to say:

"You may import any content from other sources that is available under
the CC-BY-SA license, even if it is not available under the GNU Free
Documentation License.  However, you may not import content that is
only available under the GFDL.  If you import content under the
CC-BY-SA license..."

Also, should this read "text" instead of "content"?  As stated (in
either version) it could be interpreted as suggesting GFDL images and
media are forbidden, and I don't think that is part of the current
intent.

At:

"Text and rich media contributions that come from external sources may
attach additional attribution requirements to the work, which we will
strive to indicate clearly to you on the article or the description
page for the file(s) in question."

In practice to do any WMF venues indicate such information "on the
article"?  I think it makes sense to drop that phrase.  Even if there
is a venue that does include attribution requirements "on the
article", I'd assume that they also include them on the description
page, so the former is superfluous.  I think it is more natural to
accept what seems to be the normal practice and say that this
information resides on the description page.  If it also resides
somewhere else, then perhaps that is a bonus, but it doesn't seem like
something we need to say here especially when it isn't a common
practice.  Angela made a similar comment to mine at Talk:Licensing
update.

-Robert Rohde