[cc-community] An easy way to notify licensors about new license versions

jonathon jonathon.blake at gmail.com
Wed Dec 5 16:13:08 EST 2007


Gavin wrote:

> I frequently encounter works using outdated versions of CC licenses.
> This is sub-optimal, as newer versions have improvements and clarifications.

Did you realize that some content creators deliberately choose to
release their work with an older version of a specific CC License? In
their opinion, the newer versions are sub-optimal.

One_major_ issue with CC licenses is that it can be automatically
upgraded to a more recent version of the CC License, if the user so
desires.    Whislt CC-BY, and CC-BY-SA are relatively safe from
malevolent interpretations, CC_NC, and CC-ND are not.    ("Malevolent"
being defined by the content creator. CC-BY, and CC-BY-SA currently
prohibit the violation of moral rights, in areas where statute laws
protects moral rights.  In all other situations,the user can do as
s/he desires with the content, regardless of how the content creator
feels about those changes. )

With both the "NC" and "ND" licenses, it is very easy for a malevolent
clause to be added by CC.  One potential example:  Defining
"non-Commercial" to mean "not to be sold for a net profit".  (It is
trivial for an organization to sell product at a net loss, and make
money doing so. it all depends upon how the transactions are
structured.)

xan

jonathon


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