[oats-sig] dojinshi & Mulberry Symbol Set

did you read the dojinshi article?

Jonanthan, yes I do understand your concerns and you make some valid
points. Its a tricky area and we want it to be as simple as possible
for user to just use and share the symbols, yet stop 'bad guys'
claiming ownership.

This is a complex area and I soon get out of my depth but rather than
get too bogged down in all the licence issues, we need to look to CC
for answers as similar concerns apply to any digital image (say) and
they must have been worked out. At this point we want to concentrate
efforts on getting the symbols out for review and use.

Garry will no doubt have more to say, especially on the requirement to
agree to the licences on the web site. It may be that is to bring it
to attention of those taking the symbols.

More comments below inline...

2008/5/1 Jonathan Chetwynd <j.chetwynd at btinternet.com>:
> did you read the dojinshi article?
> if you did you'd know why you'd want people to do "anything they like", yup
> even to make money.

Yes I did and AFAIKS is arguing against madness like DRM and
proprietary paranoia which is something we are against for our
symbols. As you say Lessing is of CC and  I don't think this indicates
a U turn, quite the opposite.

We want 'users' to freely share and copy the symbols without any
concern or having to sign a load of legal waffle (EULA) that they
don't have a clue what they have agreed to. We're happy for anyone to
use them to make money. However we don't want someone to take them and
make them proprietary (owned and secret), or derive from them and say
they are their symbols. As copyright holder Garry can release them
under other licenses too to specific parties, so perhaps making cash.
Making them PD will throw away any control we have against the 'bad guys'.

> where are people supposed to put this licence?

That's a good point and we need to find a clear answer to that,
following CC's lead.
It's probably not an issue for the initial target audience, SALTs, who
will mostly use them in their own use and photocopy for clients use.
They agree the licence once on the web site and then can grab the
symbols with that licence for their own use.
It's more complex when we start thinking about mas reproduction or
electronically communicating the symbols, for example in symbols chat
or emails. As you suggest users should be able to just use the symbols
without worrying at all about including the licence, but they should
be able to find it without difficulty.

> you have a pretty complex system already, one that's hard for non developers
> to emulate.

You mean the web site? That's just a means to work with and acquire
the symbols and not part of Licence concerns for the symbols as such.

> it's a system which so far doesn't have resources which use the symbols.
> when it does how will people viewing those resources know?
> will they have to chose and agree a licence before they get to see each
> resource?

I expect the single licence acceptance would cover derived works as
well if they have the same licence.

-- 
Steve Lee
--
Open Source Assistive Technology Software
web: fullmeasure.co.uk
blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog