Guild Wars Wiki talk:Copyrights

Archive

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Archive one

Layman's Terms

I'd appreciate a more clear explanation of how this stuff works. The project page is very vague and information on discussion page confusing. And before someone suggests it, reading GFDL legalese just gives me a migraine. So far what I got out of this mumbo-jumbo is that basically anything by Anet belongs to them and them only. Everything else is automatically licensed by GFDL. If I'm wrong, please clarify this. Also a further clarification on what images can be uploaded and cannot be uploaded into this site would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Sorry if I come across as a moron here but I'd like to avoid any future violations but I need to understand what exactly consists a violation in the first place. Cheers – Barinthus 19:52, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

As you say, anything that's Anet's (in-game text, stuff from the manuals, concept art, icons, screenshots) is Anet's with all rights reserved by them. We use it with their permission. All original contributions (text a user wrote him/herself, art a user drew him/herself) are automatically licensed under GFDL (which basically means it can be used for any commercial or noncommercial purposes as long as credit is given to the original contributor and all derivatives are similarly licensed under GFDL). We can also use things from other GFDL sources (as long as we give credit to the original creator) or public doman sources (credit not technically necessary, but useful). In short, what we can use: Anything from in-game, anything you create entirely yourself, things from Wikipedia as long as they're GFDL or public domain (all Wikipedia images should have their licensing information on the image page). What we cannot use: things you find from other websites or google image search, and in particular things from GuildWiki, except for things that belong to Anet in the first place, or if every contributor releases their contributions under GFDL. In all cases, if you didn't create it entirely yourself, you should credit where you got it. If you have any specific questions, most of us are happy to help. - Tanetris 20:27, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. What if I wanted to use an image that's copyrighted by a company but they said it's fine? Of course it did occur to me that while it may be ok with them, there may be some kind of issue on this side. Anyway the image in the question is Firefox logo. According to Mozilla's website, they're fine with me using their logo as long I didn't change it in any ways explicitly prohibited by them. They're also under GNU license (from what I can understand anyway). Wikipedia has same logo which you can find at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Firefox-logo.svg So if I understand this correctly, Mozilla is perfectly fine with me using their logo so my question is does this site have any problem with me doing so? If so, of course I'll abide by that, no problem. – Barinthus 21:11, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

You have to differ between the Mozilla/Firefox software and the logo. The software is published under GNU GPL (and similar licenses) which is a software license. The logo, as I already explained here, is neither published under GPL nor GFDL, and as it is not ANet content, we are not allowed to use it here. We could use it with Fair use, but at the current state we are not allowed to do that either. poke | talk 19:45, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

Thumbnails

- What about 120x120px thumbnails as the ones in Gallery_of_unique_axes ? are they usable in fansites ? Nikademo 12:56, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't think they are. — ク Eloc 貢 19:55, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

See also

I think a link to Guild Wars Wiki:Copyrighted content would be useful to those who click on this but require more more (useful) information. Thoughts? -- Brains12 \ talk 01:21, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

I agree the contents page should be linked to this. -- Wyn 01:22, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

Thirded, this page is a useless dead end when looking for imformation. Misery 01:23, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

I have asked Emily to add something about it nicely; and Misery, this page is not meant to give information about what you can upload. It is an official statement to visitors of this wiki to see how they are able to use the content. poke | talk 01:37, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

I understand that poke, but it's a natural place to end up when looking for information on copyrights, but it's a dead end unless you want to read the license itself. Misery 01:40, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, the Guild Wars Wiki:Copyrighted content is where the real/useful info is about copyright rules on this wiki.... -- Indochine talk 14:53, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

I know I'm late, but I'm bumping this, because it's something I want to see happen as well. --Kyoshi (Talk) 18:06, 4 March 2010 (UTC)

Public Domains suggestions

Are suggestions from Public Domain compatible with Terms of Use of Feedback Namespace... Elephant 10:30, 30 October 2009 (UTC)

If something is in the public domain it's free for anyone to do whatever he sees fit with it, including distributing it in a licensed medium. — Galil 09:26, 18 January 2010 (UTC)

This is a bit of a non-sequitur. In agreeing to the terms of the Feedback Namespace, you assert that only you possess the rights to the content you contribute, and that you transfer all appropriate rights to ArenaNet. You can not transfer the rights to content in the public domain. While this may not present an issue for ArenaNet, you would still be in violation of the terms of use. MA Anathe 10:52, 10 December 2010 (UTC)

Seeing as the english language is public domain, your interpretation would prevent editors from using it in feedback space. Backsword 13:46, 10 December 2010 (UTC)

Unless you're attempting to contribute the English language, I'm not sure what your point is. Reread the initial question. MA Anathe 02:15, 11 December 2010 (UTC)

Edit: To clarify, if you attempted to transfer all rights to "A game in which a 3x3 square grid is established through the use of straight lines, and in which two players alternate the placement of X's and O's until 3 X's or 3 O's are placed such that they form a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line among the grid. Etc." you would be in error. You are not the sole possessor of the rights to this game. Suggesting that ArenaNet use the intellectual property they already have a right to use is subtly different

The distinction becomes important when the status of the intellectual property is more nebulous. For example, an individual might create a unique work of art, design a unique game system, etc. and grant the work into the public domain. However, depending on where they live, this may not result in a complete transfer of all rights and interests. For instance, in countries like Germany and France, an author's moral rights are absolute. While an author will not be forced to actively defend their moral rights, they retain the right to enforce requirements of attribution and the maintenance of the integrity of their work. Thus, if you contributed such a work to the Feedback Namespace, it could still remain legally problematic, despite being in the public domain. MA Anathe 02:40, 11 December 2010 (UTC)

GW2W

Do these licensing terms also apply to the Guild Wars 2 Wiki, or would we need a new set? I don't know which ANet staff to ask about it. --Kyoshi (Talk) 04:22, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure they are using the same ones, with the exception of the Feedback namespace stuff since there is no Feedback namespace on GW2W. Emily would be the one to talk to though. See http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Guild_Wars_2_Wiki:Copyrights -- Wyn talk 04:36, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, didn't see that page. It's a much shorter license than the GWW one, isn't it? I guess all I really need to know is whether it serves the same function, and I'll ask Emily about it. --Kyoshi (Talk) 17:32, 25 June 2010 (UTC)