Wiki:Copyrights: Difference between revisions

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(Make the rules easier to follow, hopefully)
 
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This wiki's content is licensed under the [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ CC BY-SA 4.0] license, unless otherwise indicated. By contributing original work to this wiki, you are agreeing to make it available under that license.
This wiki's content is licensed under [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ CC BY-SA 4.0] unless otherwise indicated.


Don't blindly copy text from [https://museumofzzt.com/file/m/Mwencv14.zip other] [http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/ZZT_Format places]! Just because it's available online doesn't mean you have permission to use it. If the copyright status is unclear, it's better to use your own words instead of someone else's.
== Guidelines for contributors ==
Contributors are responsible for making sure their contributions are compatibly licensed under US copyright law. '''If you're contributing your own original work, you have nothing to worry about.''' But if you're copying from somewhere else, it could get tricky.


Situations where copying is okay:
'''Rule number 1:''' Don't blindly copy stuff from [https://museumofzzt.com/file/m/Mwencv14.zip other] [http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/ZZT_Format places]! Just because it's available online doesn't mean you have permission to use it. If the copyright status is unclear, it's better to use your own words instead of someone else's.


* Your source is clearly under a license that is compatible with CC BY-SA 4.0. For example, copying from a document marked as being in the public domain.
That said, it is okay to copy under certain circumstances:
* You are copying a fact. [https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html#what_protect Facts are not copyrightable]. If you learn about ZZT's 20,000 byte board limit from an encyclopedia, that encyclopedia does not have a copyright on the number 20,000. You can feel free to write about that number (in your own words) without any need to get permission from the encyclopedia's creator.
 
* Some content may fall under the category of [https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/ fair use], such as screenshots of copyrighted software for illustrative purposes. Those are okay.
* '''Works under compatible licenses:''' Determining what's compatible can sometimes be tricky, but in general, public domain sources are fine, as are [https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Wiki/cc_license_compatibility ''some'' CC licenses]. If the license terms require it, make sure to specify the original author/license, e.g., in the change summary.
* '''Raw factual data:''' [https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html#what_protect Facts are not copyrightable.] If a copyrighted document says "Blue text has element ID 0x2F," you can copy and paste that "0x2F" to your heart's content.
* '''Content that counts as [https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/ fair use]:''' For example, if you are writing an article about a copyrighted ZZT game, it's okay to include a screenshot of the title screen for illustrative purposes. If you do this, you should specify (e.g., in the image summary) that the work is not CC BY-SA licensed, as well as the nature of your fair use.


You own copyright on your contributions, and you can license them differently so long as the terms are compatible. For example, if you upload an image that you created, you can declare in the description that you are placing it in the public domain.
You own copyright on your contributions, and you can license them differently so long as the terms are compatible. For example, if you upload an image that you created, you can declare in the description that you are placing it in the public domain.


Please play along, and we'll all benefit from a useful ZZT reference.
Please play along, and we'll all benefit from a useful ZZT reference.

Latest revision as of 04:08, 11 January 2021

This wiki's content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 unless otherwise indicated.

Guidelines for contributors

Contributors are responsible for making sure their contributions are compatibly licensed under US copyright law. If you're contributing your own original work, you have nothing to worry about. But if you're copying from somewhere else, it could get tricky.

Rule number 1: Don't blindly copy stuff from other places! Just because it's available online doesn't mean you have permission to use it. If the copyright status is unclear, it's better to use your own words instead of someone else's.

That said, it is okay to copy under certain circumstances:

  • Works under compatible licenses: Determining what's compatible can sometimes be tricky, but in general, public domain sources are fine, as are some CC licenses. If the license terms require it, make sure to specify the original author/license, e.g., in the change summary.
  • Raw factual data: Facts are not copyrightable. If a copyrighted document says "Blue text has element ID 0x2F," you can copy and paste that "0x2F" to your heart's content.
  • Content that counts as fair use: For example, if you are writing an article about a copyrighted ZZT game, it's okay to include a screenshot of the title screen for illustrative purposes. If you do this, you should specify (e.g., in the image summary) that the work is not CC BY-SA licensed, as well as the nature of your fair use.

You own copyright on your contributions, and you can license them differently so long as the terms are compatible. For example, if you upload an image that you created, you can declare in the description that you are placing it in the public domain.

Please play along, and we'll all benefit from a useful ZZT reference.