Deb Richardson wrote:
> The spectrum from "free" to "non-free" is a wide one. All I want to do
> is set a point on that spectrum where anything "less free" is not
> allowable into the OSWG documentation set, and anything on the "more
> free" side is. This is just our opportunity to set the baseline level
> of allowable freedom.
In a discussion on the LDP list, someone cited a case where an author
successfully sued the NY times and a couple of database services. The
argument was over whether his licensing them the right to print what
he'd written automatically included a license to online forms. The
court said no, rather emphatically.
This led me to speculate on someone wanting to do the reverse, license
a document as open for online use but reserving the right to be paid for
print publication. I don't think I'd do this, but I do think authors
should be able to do it without being excluded from open doc projects.
The suggestion was definitely not well received on LDP, and to some
extent I can see why.
However, here is my suggestion for a minimum acceptable license:
====================================================================
This document may be freely reproduced in any online form, including
but not limited to:
making it viewable on the web
making copies available for download
including it on a CD-ROM or other distribution medium
provided:
It is develvered complete and unaltered, including this notice.
Where an output format (e.g. HTML or PostScript) is delivered,
either the source code (e.g. Docbook SGML) must be delivered
or the recipient must be told how to get it at no charge.
Printing of the whole document or of parts of it is permitted, for any
purpose other than sale.
Cost recovery by a non-profit group (e.g. a user group or a school
charging for photocopies) does not count as "sale" in this context.
Nor does paying to have a printout photocopied.
Inclusion as part of something which is sold -- e.g. in a book or
magazine -- does count as "sale", is not allowed under this license
and requires a separate license.
An exception: a distribution which includes the software this
document describes may include the printed document without further
licensing.
Modifications afecting only format are permitted:
a translation of text formatting language
(e.g. putting a man page into HTML, or web page into TeX)
adding XML or HTML tags to facilitate indexing or reference
putting the text into a database, provided the normal format in
which database output is delivered both:
delivers at least paragraph-sized chunks
makes it easy for the user to find the whole document
Any modified version must provide a link to the original, and must be
covered by this license unless written permission of the author to use
another license has been received.
Modifications other than to the format, or printing as a publication
or part of one, are not permitted by this license. Contact the author
for a separate license for those if required.
========================================================================
I'd like to see something along those lines as a boilerplate license,
with a couple of optional attachments to open up the two things the
above reserves to the author -- modification and publication.
