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  • From: "Tsiavos,P" <P.Tsiavos AT lse.ac.uk>
  • To: <rob AT robmyers.org>, <cc-uk AT lists.ibiblio.org>, <fc-uk-discuss AT lists.okfn.org>, <discussion AT libresociety.org>, <cc-uk AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Cc-uk] Good Idea, Bad Implementation
  • Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 13:34:58 -0000


I absolutely agree with Rob on the issue of an expansion of the SA clause so
as to allow interoperability with FDL licences.

We had this discussion when trying to draft a common licence with the BBC-CA
group and have rejected such a solution for a number of reasons:
- It dilutes the Freedoms of the CC-BY-SA as it introduces restrictions
not contained in the body of the licence
- For the same reason, it misleads the user of such a licence, since
the terms and conditions of the FDL are not contained in the commons deed and
remain opaque for someone licensing her work under a CC (FDL compatible work)

Even if the FDL would contain an equivalent provision, it would not solve any
of the problems. It would rather lead to a black hole phenomenon in the sense
that in the ecology of licences would be seriously disturbed: the most
restrictive licences would eventually prevail. (see the BBC-SA discussion in
this list)

The issue of complexity is not really solved with such a clause either. On
the contrary it is intensified: if my CC licence interoperates with a series
of other free/ open content licences and as such my derivative works can be
licensed under their terms and conditions, it is not clear under exactly
which terms and conditions the derivative works are licensed.

Again as Rob has highlighted, there is a good reason why there is a range of
licences out there. If a creator wants to go for a dual licensing solution,
she is by all means able to do so even under the existing versions of the
licences. Since licences are non exclusive I can always license my work under
both a CC-BY-SA and an FDL licence. Whether and under which circumstances
such a scheme would make sense is a different story all together, but at
least through such a solution I am the one that makes the choice and not the
CC on my behalf.

I will make the same points to Larry and Mia as well.

Btw, is there anyone having a different view on this issue?

Best,
pRodromos





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