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  • From: Lorenzo De Tomasi <lorenzo.detomasi AT libero.it>
  • To: <cc-licenses AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: about 'attribution' option
  • Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 19:35:13 +0100

I was reasoning about the 'attribution' option and I finally think that it
should be integrated as default in each license, deleting it as option in CC
licenses. I think that in some European country this is already law, right?.
This because also when we cite or modify a work became of or released in
public domain it should be our duty to cite the author, also if only in a
bibliography.
For example, nobody can copy a Grimm's fable and attribute it to himself;
so nobody should not be able to copy a Grimm's fable, modify a line of it
and attribute it to himself;
so nobody should be able to modify (also strongly) a Grimm's fable without
citing him in the bibliography, at least.
This should be valid also for recent works released in the public domain or
with the 'modify' option.
So, for me, attribution right must be a default and everybody must cite the
sources of his work.

- - - - - - - - - - -
The problem is how to regulate this attribution, especially when we modify a
work that is already a modified work...
I have some solutions:
1. the author that modifies a work must cite only the author of the most
recent modified work, the last one, without going back in the hierarchy. If
someone wants to know the previous authors 0must find the previous works and
look at the bibliography.
There is a big disadvantage:
For example John can find an unknown nice fable written by Alice and
released in the public domain. John of X Company occasionally finds,
corrects and modifies the original work in few points and publish it as his
work (modified from Alice's work).
X Company realizes a cartoon movie from John's work citing John as the
author... The movie becomes a success and most of people thinks that the
story has been written by John... only few know that Alice is the true
author...
I think this is how it works for books now;

2. the author that modifies a work must cite the whole hierarchy of past
authors. This is right, but it's a problem because nobody would read the
written text of the bibliography; it's not practical because the
bibliography text will be very long, and this can be a big problem for
books, articles and movies. A digital archive can be a solution only for
easier finding of the original authors.

3. the author that modifies a work must cite the most recent five (3, 4?)
past authors. This can solve some cited problems, but if the main author is
former the problem still remains...

How the current laws about citing work (especially for public domain)? Can
we find a solution that permits to cite the main authors of a work?
Probably my doubts are stupid and if they are, please don't care about them.

Thank you for your attention.
____________________________________________________________________________
Lorenzo De Tomasi, student of Information Architecture, Interface Design and
Visual Design
via Bellaria 6, 21018 Sesto Calende (Varese), Italia
phone: +39 (0)331 924649
mobile: +39 329 3941065; +39 333 8979304
e-mail: lorenzo.detomasi AT libero.it; lorenzo.detomasi AT email.it
website: http://biografica.tzone.it
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Yahoo! Instant Messenger id: tummait



  • about 'attribution' option, Lorenzo De Tomasi, 02/20/2003

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