[Foundation-l] Commons Usurp issue

Wed Jun 4 02:46:57 UTC 2008

2008/6/4 Andrew Whitworth <wknight8111 at gmail.com>:
> You cannot hold copyright anonymously,

TITLE 17 > CHAPTER 3 > § 302 (c)

"In the case of an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made
for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year
of its first publication, or a term of 120 years from the year of its
creation, whichever expires first."

> the copyright is held by the
> author directly, not through their nickname as a proxy. The nickname
> is not a separate legal entity, and you cannot release any
> contributions "under" it.

Okey if you want a really formal phrasing. When you release work under
the GFDL you are free to chose what author name you put in the history
section any anyone who wants to use your work or create a derivative
of that they are stuck with your choice. Yes I am aware of the many
many ways this can be abused.

> The nickname is not you, it is not your
> identity, and it has no legal standing whatsoever. A nickname is
> simply a technological measure that the software makes available for
> us to use the website anonymously. This has nothing to do with the
> author's ownership of his contributions.

The author lets you use those contributions as long as you do not
modify the ah author name they put in the history section.

-- 
geni