Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

cc-licenses - Re: [cc-licenses] derivatives and source

cc-licenses AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Development of Creative Commons licenses

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: adam <adam AT xs4all.nl>
  • To: cc-licenses AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [cc-licenses] derivatives and source
  • Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:51:21 +0200

hi,



On 06/04/12 21:29, Christopher Allan Webber wrote:

Your example of open textbooks is a good example of when not providing
the "source" files is problematic. However, I can't imagine ways to
make all the following situations equal:

- So, the Blender Foundation releases Elephants Dream, and let's assume
it's under a CC licenses that does include a source requirement.
They do release all the source files.
- Someone makes a remix from the .blend files. Are they obligated to
release the source files?
- Someone makes a remix from the fully rendered film, a music video
or something. In this case, they never even touched the original
.blend files at all, may have not even encountered them. Are they
obligated to release gigabytes of source materials that they never
even touched in making their remix?
- If I release a PNG, should I have to release my accompanying GIMP or
Photoshop files? Those are the optimal verisons, but what if I
didn't keep them? What also if someone makes a remix... do they also
have to distribute my original .xcf files?

I agree with the fact that media is a more problematic issue. The issue that remains for me however is that the *idea* of CC derivatives is not really worth much unless the licenses actually address the issue of source in some way. Licenses could address a source - even if the finished artifact itself is deemed in most circumstances by the license holder to be the source. Having a named source requirement in the license requires the license holder to consider this issue and address it - even if their solution is not ideal.

That seems important to me.

adam



I agree that it's unfortunate that we can have something where someone
can claim to be an open publshing org and etc and actually not release
things in a way that's actually easy for people to make derivatives
from. But as far as I can tell it's simply too hard to draft legalcode
that's not incredibly hard to comply with for many cases of users, or
which ends up being so vague that it ends up being basically useless or
completely ignored.

Thoughts?

- Chris

adam<adam AT xs4all.nl> writes:

hi,

With the new licenses is it possible to ask for the source to be
provided in works that are licensed to allow derivatives? I know this
issue mainly from the field of books. Now that open publishing (etc) is
gaining enormous popularity I see more and more 'open books' made
available in PDF only or mobi only formats etc.

GPL requires source as a pre-condition for 3 of its 4 freedoms I believe
and I think that is for good reason. Derivatives require source. Without
source derivatives are not realistic possibilities and PDF or other
releases are nothing more than a 'mechanical' form of copyright protection.

I would actually like to see a source requirement in ND as well since it
is impossible to transcode/transform into other formats sometimes
without it. I am guessing that would be a less popular position however.

I also understand source doesnt apply to all media equally. However a
'where applicable the source must be provided in a standardised and
reusable format' would help matters a lot...


adam



_______________________________________________
List info and archives at
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-licenses
Unsubscribe at http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/cc-licenses

In consideration of people subscribed to this list to participate
in the CC licenses http://wiki.creativecommons.org/4.0 development
process, please direct unrelated discussions to the cc-community list
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-community
_______________________________________________
List info and archives at
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-licenses
Unsubscribe at http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/cc-licenses

In consideration of people subscribed to this list to participate
in the CC licenses http://wiki.creativecommons.org/4.0 development
process, please direct unrelated discussions to the cc-community list
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-community





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page