[wp-docs] Copyright and a new stub.

[Carthik Sharma]

HI folks,

Pretty noisy here :)

On 9/18/05, Michael E. Hancock <michael at hancockdata.com> wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Scott Merrill" <skippy at skippy.net>
> > If someone takes the time and effort to distill the Codex into a book, I
> > say bully for them! I've thought about it. It's not an easy task, but
> > it's also not impossible. But how can WordPress and the Codex
> > contributors effectively assert the copyright of their work if there is
> > no explicit copyright statement on the Codex?


There is a copyright statement that I forged the last time something like 
this came up - we thought it'd be a good idea to use the GPL for Codex 
content too.


Isn't this the copyright statement?
> http://codex.wordpress.org/Codex:Copyrights


That's the one I put in place.

Since Podz has already 'made a copy of Codex' it seems the discussion is
> almost a moot point. Is his copy of Codex legal or illegal?


It is perfectly legal and valid.

All content on the Codex should be available freely, as this knowledge 
belongs in the domain of the collective commons. Adaptation of the 
information for a different purpose should be welcome as well.
I have pretty much stopped contributing effectively due to personal 
pressures, and should it be that the stuff I contributed is irrevocably 
mine, it would be funny if I wanted it all back - don't you think?

The hours I put into working on the documentation were justified (by me - to 
myself) by the thought that what I was doing was not ephemeral, or 
temporary, and that a little effort on my part will go a long way, with the 
contributions of others.

Really, I don't know why re-use of documentation is such a big issue -- look 
to the developers, who release their code out in the wild - to be used as 
seens fit - for other to profit, if you will.

<personal opinion>
Knowledge is only valuable when it is shared "freely".
If someone wants to make a buck out of it, and not share the proceeds, then 
little can be said except that it is no model behavior.
</personal opinion>

Personal contributions that folks dont want to share freely do not belong in 
a public information resource. 
Moot Point: It is not just you that contribute to the codex - the codex 
contributes towards amplifying your effort too. If you 
guide/howto/faq/whatever existed outside of the codex, in isolation - it 
would be much less useful. It is a symbiotic relationship. The price you pay 
to ensure a greater impact for your work is that it will be reshaped and 
reused, probably for profit.

Carthik.
-- 
Ph.D. Candidate
University of Central Florida
Homepage: http://carthik.net
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