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cc-licenses - Re: [cc-licenses] Creative Commons & Copyleft question?

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Subject: Development of Creative Commons licenses

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  • From: Peter Brink <peter.brink AT brinkdata.se>
  • To: Discussion on the Creative Commons license drafts <cc-licenses AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [cc-licenses] Creative Commons & Copyleft question?
  • Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:24:45 +0200

Charles Iliya Krempeaux skrev:

As you said, not according to the law. But (to be blunt)... so what?! So
what if the law defines it (or redefined it) that way

When I speak I use the definition of words (like "derivative" and
"collective work") that are in my head. This definition is usually similar
to the definition of my friends, colleagues, co-workers, and others I
associate with. I learn definitions through various means from those I do
or have associated with and through materials I can learn from.

We have things like dictionaries to help people who do not associate with
each other communicate with each other by keeping people's definitions of
the same words similar.

If the law said "2 plus 2 makes 5", I'd still think "2 plus 2 makes 4".

To me, it seems obvious all "collective works" are "derivatives" based on
how I've learnt "collective works" and "derivatives" to be defined.

Now, having said that, when writing something like a license, I can see that
one is compelled to use the language and definitions as given in the law.


It might be worthwhile to realise that laymen (i.e. non-lawyers) are not the intended audience of the license text, lawyers are. In the end, if there's a dispute over how to understand the license, legal professionals are the one's who will be called upon to arbitrate the conflict. And they will read the license using the legal language they have been trained to use. If there's a concept called "derivative work" in the license, then everyone will assume that it's the concept used in copyright law that's intended.

Trying to rewrite the central concepts of copyright law would, IMO, weaken the license, making it less defendable in court.

/Peter Brink





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