permaculture

[lfl@intrex.net]

Russ + Fiona... PacificEdge wrote:

> While it makes websites more participatory I doubt whether it is as
> participatory as wiki.

True. And wiki has plugins: usage countter, file uploads, full text searches, 
fuzzy searches,
calendar, can save a .zip of all wiki pages to burn onto CD for distribution 
and much more.

> Even on wiki would there not remain the issue of reusing someone's posting
> as it is automatically granted copyright when it is produced? A way around
> this would be to set out an agreement by which participants can use and
> build on the work of others and make it available under a general public
> licence (GPL), much as is Linux software.

GPL would do the trick if folks wanted a formal agreement.

The issue of copyright could be avoided for groups who agree to have it that 
way;
they could make the group's work available for public consumption, i.e. 
ground rule for
that part of the wiki: you forego your copyright; the concept Open 
Permaculture was suggested
as a copyleft name. Other parts of the wiki can be configured and passworded 
to ensure individual
ownership of content. Wiki names could include: Open Permaculture Wiki, Open 
Permaculture Wikipedia,
Open Permawiki, and so on.

Wiki's work for a group when all participants trust each other; group 
decisions,
consensus can be arrived at regarding content and when entries should be left 
unchanged;
individuals can work on special projects with group understanding that the 
work be unchanged -
these sorts of entries are properly marked and obvious to browsers. Access to 
areas can be
password protected too if needed. Its all a matter of trust, common sense, 
familiarity
with the content in question and group agreement.

> I think wikpeodia might be doing this and there is the OpenCola recipe which
> is in the public domain under such a licence. New Scientist magazine, a
> couple months ago, published an article under this licence and made it
> available for distribution outside of copyright. This type of open
> publishing is being called 'copyleft'.


> Were there the energy, I would like to propose a permaculture designer's
> manual published as an ongoing, online work under GPL.

That is a great idea. I was hoping a permaculture wiki would include an 
outline and perhaps
a syllabus for a PDC and as you suggest a designers manual. I have some ideas 
how, as information is
loaded into the wiki, some of it is "tagged" and maybe hyperlinked as M4DM 
(material to be included
someday in a designers manual). Periodic searches of the wiki for this tag 
"m4dm" would reveal all
material destined for possible inclusion in a DM. This technique could be 
used to organize and collate
information on a variety of subjects.

LL

--
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com