[WikiEN-l] Re: Copyright and Britannica Article List

Mon Jun 27 08:35:19 UTC 2005

Michael Snow wrote:

> MacGyverMagic/Mgm wrote:
>
>> On 6/25/05, Timwi <timwi at gmx.net> wrote:
>>
>>> DF wrote:
>>>
>>>> there is an ongoing discussion of whether EB holds a
>>>> copyright in the list of articles itself.
>>>
>>> I've asked this back when I did the Columbia list, and I didn't get a
>>> response, but I'll ask the same question again now: Why don't we just
>>> ask them if they're okay with it?
>>
>> I was about to ask the same thing in my post, but I somehow forgot.
>
> And if they don't answer, but simply complain to the media instead? 
> Given their regular habit of bad-mouthing us in the press, I'm not 
> keen on handing them an opportunity they can spin into "Look, 
> Wikipedia is blatantly copying all of our articles." With Brockhaus, 
> where we have established contacts and a more amicable relationship, I 
> might view it differently.

There is always the principle that it is easier to get forgiveness than 
to get permission.  Let's say we ask them, and they say "no."  What 
then?  How do we tell the difference between a "No because it's 
illegal." and "No because we don't like your competition"?  There is no 
requirement for us to be naive.

Ec