Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: sample document library: copyright, copyleft, CC, GPL?

[Catya Belfer-Shevett (catya]

Andrew Netherton wrote:
> Hi Catya,
>
> Just to play devil's advocate here....  Would there ever be an
> instance where you do NOT grant permission?  

Sure - if someone was going to sell it, or use it in a negative 
depiction of our group or cohousing, etc?

> Would it not be easier on
> you to simply proactively permit people to use and modify your
> documents?  Doing so would preclude many different people/groups
> asking you permission over and over again for the same documents - a
> time savings for you and them.

It really hasn't proven a problem, and I like knowing who is using them.

> I envisioned the document library as being an enabling tool for
> forming groups.  If, however, the library is populated by copyrighted
> documents, suddenly the forming group has to go through each document
> they want to use and get permission for it before doing anything else.
>  That doesn't sound very enabling to me.  In fact it sounds like
> another point in favour of Coho/US' proposed premium starter kit
> (which would come complete with permission to use and modify, I would
> hope).

Well, people are also going to be reading the documents for ideas, and 
then constructing their own.  We did a lot of that - gathered three or 
four examples as part of research into how established groups do thing, 
and then put together our document based on what felt right to our group 
from each.

> So that is why I'm favouring a Creative Commons license.

Yep, I think it's a fine idea, just perhaps more complicated than needed. :)

        - catya
                            ____
Catya Belfer-Shevett    ____\  /     Cohousing in MA?
catya [at] cohousing.org     \  / \/   www.mosaic-commons.org
www.catya.org            \/          Ready Fall 2008!