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Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

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Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#31

Post by Freak_NL »

codetrotter wrote: post #14
RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

It’s so formulaic, that even ChatGPT will express itself similarly. Me: Write a press release stating that Wikipedia is announcing the update to our license to Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 ChatGPT: […] Wikipedia, the world's largest online encyclopedia, is thrilled to announce a significant update to its licensing terms. Effective immediately, Wikipedia will adopt the Creative Commons Attribution-Share…

I like this concept. If what you're trying to communicate is so formulaic and devoid of actual significant content that AI text generators will output nearly the same text: reconsider.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#32

Post by pksadiq »

RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

This specific change shall excite many as CC BY-SA 4.0 is one way GPLv3 compatible, but CC BY-SA 3.0 is not. Which means that free software developers can now embedded many Wikimedia contents in their GPLv3 applications. This seems not mentioned in the blog post though.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#33

Post by mogoh »

RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

If the top comment is about to much excitement, you know there is not much wrong here.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#34

Post by criddell »

RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

> this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

They are corporations.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#35

Post by akolbe »

RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

I agree. I've lost count of the number of times someone from the WMF announces on the Wikimedia mailing list that they're "excited" – often in contexts where it just comes across as obnoxious and narcissistic.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#36

Post by akolbe »

shellac wrote: post #8

Doesn't CC 4.0 include database rights too (where applicable)? Not especially significant for wikipedia's content, but a useful addition.

Note that sui-generis database rights are expressly excluded from the WMF version. The Wikimedia terms of use include a specific waiver:

"Where you own Sui Generis Database Rights covered by CC BY-SA 4.0, you waive these rights. As an example, this means facts you contribute to the projects may be reused freely without attribution."

https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Terms_of_Use

This is of course to make it easer for commercial re-users to not attribute and share alike.

The change in database rights were one of the key reasons why the move to 4.0 was delayed for so long. Without the waiver, it would have put a legal question mark over the data pipeline leading from Wikipedia to Wikidata and thence to Google et al.

See Jimmy Wales answer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpof5J6jjZ4&t=3738s

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#37

Post by dessimus »

mellosouls wrote: post #10
RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

Agree. "We're excited to announce this hum-drum thing" is an annoying PR cliche probably popularized by dead-eyed corporate drones to the extent it's now a part of every formulaic announcement. I'm sure in some cases the writer thinks they'll get in trouble with the boss if they aren't sufficiently unctuous but it's annoying to read again and again. Perhaps there is an opportunity here to establish an "Announcement E…

Considering the posts I see on LinkedIn, when occasionally scanning for career opportunities, I'd say most PR/Marketing types think all their stuff is 9+, but everyone else's is sub-4.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#38

Post by akolbe »

aflag wrote: post #5

What were the challenges for the migration? Do the Wikipedia editors and authors transfer their works to Wikimedia when they publish it and so wikimedia can change the license as it pleases? If so, was the main difficulty just convincing the executives it was a good idea?

One reason why the move was delayed for so long is the sui-generis database rights contained in 4.0.

See Jimmy Wales answer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpof5J6jjZ4&t=3738s

The solution adopted was to include a waiver in the Wikimedia Terms of Use:

Where you own Sui Generis Database Rights covered by CC BY-SA 4.0, you waive these rights. As an example, this means facts you contribute to the projects may be reused freely without attribution.

https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Terms_of_Use

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#39

Post by Symbiote »

endisneigh wrote: post #27
RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

Ever consider that it is exciting for someone to have completed this work successfully? Would you also say it’s strange for someone to be excited that they’re done with class, or finished an exam, or successfully closed an old bug? A better question is why everyone has to be so negative.

It's typical American usage where everything is awesome, amazing or exciting.

From my British view, without reference to a dictionary, awesome is when you hear fighter jets zoom overhead, or a metal band from in front of the stage, or Niagara Falls, or a mile-long freight train full of rocks shaking the ground as it passes. The target has strength, size and power.

An amazing thing is far beyond normal expectations in art, craft, or human behaviour. A detailed painting, where you step up closer and see it's even more detailed than you first thought. A carving from 3000 years ago with intricacy we didn't think possible at that time.

Something exciting causes strong, (mostly) positive emotions. A roller coaster ride, an impromptu water fight in the summer, stripping off clothes and running into the sea in a group, getting close to the end of a game with the realization that you might win.

Starting a job at Google and seeing 50 exabytes of data or a cluster of 10 million computers or whatever could be awesome.

Someone's clever and efficient algorithm that reduces runtime by 10× could be amazing.

Finishing the final university exam, expecting to pass the degree, could be exciting.

Changing from licence version 3 to licence version 4 is none of these. It might be satisfying, or perhaps rewarding for the people directly involved.

Re: Wikipedia switches to CC BY-SA 4.0 license

#40

Post by Mordisquitos »

endisneigh wrote: post #27
RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

Why every goddamn thing has to be exciting? Surely American organizational culture is becoming a parody of itself. If anything, this reminds us that American non-profits are run just like corporations.

Ever consider that it is exciting for someone to have completed this work successfully? Would you also say it’s strange for someone to be excited that they’re done with class, or finished an exam, or successfully closed an old bug? A better question is why everyone has to be so negative.

    Dear Hacker News community,
    
    I am thrilled to share some exciting news with all of you. After much delay, I proudly announce that I have taken the initiative to call not just one, but two separate repair services. One is to address the issue with my recently broken water heater, while the other is to finally fix the blinds that have been broken for over 18 months.
    
    I'm sure many of you can relate to the frustration of dealing with household repairs that seem to linger indefinitely. Well, I have taken the proactive step of reaching out to professionals, and I am hopeful that these long-standing problems will soon be resolved.
    
    Firstly, I have connected with a reputable repair service for the water heater. This essential home appliance will soon be restored to its full functionality, providing the comfort and convenience it once did.
    
    Additionally, I have engaged with another repair service to tackle the issue with my broken blinds. These blinds, which have been a persistent eyesore for far too long, will finally be repaired, allowing me to control the amount of light entering my home and restoring a sense of privacy.
    
    I wanted to share this news with the community because it signifies a small but meaningful personal achievement. It's a reminder that sometimes the smallest victories, like making those long-overdue repair calls, can bring a sense of satisfaction and relief.
    
    Thank you for allowing me to share this update with you.
    
    Best regards, Mordisquitos
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