[pdb-discuss] Re: Creating the new pdw website
Michael Holloway
mhholloway at gmail.com
Tue Feb 13 18:57:53 UTC 2007
I would like to help by editing these pages
1. Guide to Copyright and the Public Domain
2. Calculating Copyright Status - Examples
3. Copyfight FAQ
I have made a start on 1, and will continue tomorrow, and aim to have 1/2
finished in the next couple of days. 3 is certainly more complex...
Here's a finished page that i wrote but was left out of ORG's Release the
Music site. With slight editing its now 'How does the Public Domain relate
to Copyright'. Comments welcomed (Rufus, you'll probably recognise sections
from your IPPR paper!) to direct my PDWorks time this week.
Definition of the public domain
Traditionally the public domain was defined as all intellectual works that
could be copied, used
and reused freely without legal restriction. In line with contemporary
academia, we subscribe to an expanded notion which instead equates the
public domain with 'open' knowledge, that is, all ideas and information that
can be freely used, redistributed and reused. The notion of 'free' in this
context should be loosely interpreted to include, for example, stipulations
that derivative works (i.e. Mash-ups or remixes) should themselves be
published under 'open' terms.
Contents of the public domain
This revised version of the public domain is very large indeed. It includes
the contents of the traditional public domain, such as works in which
exclusive rights have expired, for example Shakespeare's plays, as well as
items that do not qualify for protection, for example the theory of
relativity. This expanded public domain also includes open source software
and work released under (some) Creative Commons licenses. As such, it
consists of almost all of humanity's intellectual output up until the very
recent present - for copyrighted works approximately the last 100 years.
Copyright feeds the public domain
The default legal status for subject matter which qualifies for copyright
protection – creative expressions such as books, music and art – is as a
part of the public domain. In other words, exclusive control of creative
expression is the exceptional situation, and because protection is abnormal,
the scope of copyright protection is intended to be strictly limited by
duration. Copyrights incentivise authors and publishers, but only to the
extent that protection serves the broader social purpose of enriching the
public domain.
The public domain is our most vital source of creativity
The 'Romantic' notion of the artist is today discredited; creativity is only
in part produced from internal contemplation. Just as important – perhaps
even more - are the influences, the inspirations and the cultural resources
that an artist feeds on. From the perspective of this modern conception of
creativity, the importance of a healthy public domain becomes clear. Whilst
the precise nature of the creative processes remain mysterious, access to
cultural and informational resources enables a dialogue with our collective
past, and better informs our future.
Thanks
On 2/5/07, Rufus Pollock < rufus.pollock at okfn.org> wrote:
>
> Yes, apologies I was browsing around over the weekend and had a spare
> two minutes so I did what fixing was needed to that page. Suggestions
> for next stuff to do:
>
> 1. Add more blog items containing both present and past news (e.g.
> website overhaul; examining BBC grams data etc)
>
> 2. Help Tim polish up the 'copyright/public domain' pages
>
> 3. Work on participate page and associated resources to have clear list
> of tasks which people could do (maybe a wiki page needed here)
>
> 4. Publicize the project. Might want to draft an announce to send to
> likely mailing lists (icommons, cc-uk, cc-us ...). Volunteers wanted for
> ....
>
> ~rufus
>
> Michael Holloway wrote:
> > Hey Rufus
> >
> > Looks like you finished the 'participate' page yourself? What's next for
> > me then?
> >
> > Ta
> >
> > On 2/2/07, *Rufus Pollock* < rufus.pollock at okfn.org
> > <mailto:rufus.pollock at okfn.org>> wrote:
> >
> > Great, see you guys online (though maybe not on irc) around 12
> > tomorrow.
> > Tim: I've created a login for you on:
> >
> > http://blog.publicdomainworks.net/
> >
> > (login at: http://blog.publicdomainworks.net/wp-admin/
> > <http://blog.publicdomainworks.net/wp-admin/>)
> >
> > username: timcowlishaw
> > password: =username
> >
> > You can change both of these once you login. Suggest you should
> change
> > the password asap -- this is a public list afterall ;)
> >
> > ~rufus
> >
> > Michael Holloway wrote:
> > > Rufus, I'll be around 12 midday tomorrow, see ya then.
> > >
> > > Tim, will try email something over.
> > >
> > > Easy
> > >
> > > On 2/2/07, *Tim Cowlishaw* < tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk
> > <mailto:tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk>
> > > <mailto: tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk <mailto:tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk>>>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hey Rufus,
> > >
> > > Sadly I'm working saturday and sunday daytimes, and while
> > this won't
> > > stop me doing any work, IRC is blocked by my work firewall.
> If
> > > either of you can email me with a login and some stuff that
> needs
> > > doing, I'll be able to help though.... :)
> > >
> > > cheers,
> > >
> > > Tim
> > >
> > > On 2/2/07, *Rufus Pollock* < rufus.pollock at okfn.org
> > <mailto:rufus.pollock at okfn.org>
> > > <mailto: rufus.pollock at okfn.org
> > <mailto: rufus.pollock at okfn.org>>> wrote:
> > >
> > > Wow, talk about prompt replies! If this weekend is good
> > for you
> > > perhaps
> > > we could do a 1hr sprint when we all get online and fix
> > bits of
> > > the site
> > > (that way I can ensure I'm around at at the same time you
>
> > are to
> > > fix any
> > > login difficulties :-0).
> > >
> > > If people are up for that please say and we can all meet
> > on irc (my
> > > provisional suggestion is 1200-1300 saturday). If this
> > isn't a
> > > good fit
> > > no worries and here's my mobile (07795 176 976) in case
> > something
> > > doesn't work and I'm offline -- i often like my downtime
> > of a
> > > weekend :)
> > >
> > > ~rufus
> > >
> > > Michael Holloway wrote:
> > > > Me too, i'm very much involved and have time this
> > weekend if
> > > thats of use.
> > > >
> > > > Apologies for making you chase! Bests.
> > > >
> > > > On 2/2/07, *Tim Cowlishaw* < tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk
> > <mailto:tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk>
> > > <mailto:tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk
> > <mailto: tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk>>
> > > > <mailto: tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk
> > <mailto: tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk>
> > > <mailto: tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk
> > <mailto:tim at timcowlishaw.co.uk >>>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hey Rufus,
> > > >
> > > > Sorry to take so long replying, I'm having quite a
> > hectic
> > > couple of
> > > > weeks. I'd love to help out with this, so feel free
> > to put
> > > my name down.
> > > >
> > > > cheers!
> > > >
> > > > Tim
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Michael H Holloway
> > > +44 (0) 7974 566 823
> > >
> > > http://www.openbusiness.cc/
> > > http://www.openrightsgroup.org <http://www.openrightsgroup.org>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Michael H Holloway
> > +44 (0) 7974 566 823
> >
> > http://www.openbusiness.cc/
> > http://www.openrightsgroup.org
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > pdb-discuss mailing list
> > pdb-discuss at lists.okfn.org
> > http://lists.okfn.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pdb-discuss
>
--
Michael H Holloway
+44 (0) 7974 566 823
http://www.openbusiness.cc/
http://www.openrightsgroup.org
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