wiki-l Mailing List: from C-L: sample document library: copyright, copyleft, CC, GPL?

[Andrew Netherton (andrewnetherton]

As per a suggestion on the Cohousing-L list, I am introducing this
thread into this list.  Unfortunately there wasn't a good way of
including all of the discussion.

I will add in what I had included later, specifically that the wiki
could accept documents of all types with any kind of rights, and each
document type (CC&R, for example) would then be subcategorized as to
sample documents that are public domain, copylefted, or copyrighted.

Andrew Netherton
Laurel Creek Commons
Waterloo, ON, Canada
http://andrewnetherton.wordpress.com


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Andrew Netherton <andrewnetherton [at] gmail.com>
Date: Feb 15, 2007 10:46 AM
Subject: [C-L]_ sample document library: copyright, copyleft, CC, GPL?
To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>


Howdy all,

Perhaps I'm being overly particular (or even zealous), but I'm
wondering how the sample document libary documents should be
rights-protected.  Although I doubt we'll come across any copyrighted
documents, I'd want to exclude those right away.  The whole purpose
(that I have in mind, at least) for the library is to provide a single
source of documentation that cohousing groups (and other groups, I'm
sure) can look at, and freely take and modify for their own purposes.
Thus, copyright is out.

However, can we simply leave the rights of the documents undefined,
and assume them to be public domain?  Or is there a legal structure
that will allow their use, such as a Creative Commons license?  I'm
tempted to say just present everything as public domain, that way
there is no restriction on re-use and/or modification whatsoever, and
no requirements on attributions or subsequent rights.  Of course,
that's easy to say when it's not my months of intensive policy
crafting that is being shared with the world.

Opinions?  Anyone familiar with copyleft that could shed some light on
what might work best for this situation?

Thanks yet again,

Andrew Netherton
Laurel Creek Creative Commons (couldn't resist)
Waterloo, ON, Canada
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