[Foundation-l] Disclaimer on fundraising page

Fri Aug 26 16:40:33 UTC 2005

The fundraising page http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Fundraising
currently carries the following disclaimer:

"Please note that neither this page nor any link on any Wikimedia site
pointing to this page should be considered a solicitation to make a
donation. Our license guarantees that you are, and will continue to be,
free to use our content regardless of whether you can afford to
donate."

To me, this is the worst kind of lawyer speak. Ubiquitous sentences
like
"Wikipedia needs your help", "Make a donation" etc. clearly constitute
a solicitation to make a donation (OED for "solicit": "2.a To entreat
or petition (a person) for, or to do, something; to urge, importune; to
ask earnestly or persistently."). 

I don't know why the disclaimer is there, but if for some legal reason
we are not allowed to solicit for donations, then we are in deep
trouble indeed, and this feeble disclaimer won't help a bit.

The second sentence of the disclaimer is also offensive. It says that
people who can't *afford* to donate may nevertheless use our materials
for free. But what about the people who don't *choose* to donate? I am
sure that this is the large majority of those who don't donate.

Axel

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