[Foundation-l] WikiGadugi Wikipedia Rating???

Sun Jan 21 23:27:48 UTC 2007

Robert Scott Horning wrote:

>Jeffrey V. Merkey wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I request persmission from the Foundation to use its trademarks solely 
>>for the purpose attribution as required by the GFDL. Email of such 
>>consent to
>>this list is acceptable as a reply to this email. The foundation must 
>>release WMG and Wikigadugi from any and all liability, claims, and causes
>>of action for the use of its trademarks and names SOLELY for the purpose 
>>of GFDL compliance. I ca find no page on the wikimedia.org site
>>that grants such a release. I will not use or misuse Foundation 
>>trademarks without such permission.
>>
>>Jeff
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>I'll defer here to Brad in terms of strict legal requirements, but I 
>fail to see how it is a violation and abuse of trademarks to cite 
>Wikipedia as the source of the material, in a bibliographic reference. 
> Or that you even need permission to do this sort of citation.  Indeed, 
>I would think it to be a violation of the GFDL on the part of the WMF to 
>even require permission in this manner, as it would then be legally 
>impossible to comply with the GFDL when giving this content to a 3rd party.
>
>You should not have to seek permission from the WMF or anybody on 
>Wikipedia in order to copy content from Wikipedia.  That is the whole 
>point of the GFDL.
>
>  
>
It could potentially be trademark infrginement and trading on the 
goodwill of the foundation in certain situations. In any event, companies
are not about civil disobediance. WMG needs permission or implied 
pemission in the form of a statement by he Foundation that use if its
valuable trademark rights is granted for purposes of attribution through 
the use of its trademarks.

Apolicy page on wikimedia.org would probably address any issues on this 
topic.

Jeff