License selection

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  1. License Selection

Choosing the right license for your wiki content is a critical decision. It determines how others can use, share, and modify your work. This article will guide you through the process of license selection, specifically within the context of a MediaWiki installation (version 1.40 and compatible). We will cover the importance of licensing, common license types, considerations for different content types, and how to implement your chosen license on your wiki. This aims to be a comprehensive guide for beginners, avoiding legal jargon where possible, but providing enough detail to make an informed choice.

Why is Licensing Important?

Without a license, all work is automatically protected by copyright. This means *you* retain all rights to your content, and nobody else can legally copy, distribute, or modify it without your explicit permission. While this might seem desirable, it severely limits the potential for collaboration and the growth of your wiki.

A license grants specific permissions to others, allowing them to use your content in ways you define. Licensing is essential for several reasons:

  • **Collaboration:** Encourages others to contribute to your wiki, knowing their contributions will be protected and clearly defined.
  • **Sharing & Dissemination:** Allows your content to reach a wider audience. Without a license, sharing is legally restricted.
  • **Remixing & Improvement:** Permits others to build upon your work, creating new and improved versions (depending on the license terms). This contributes to the collective knowledge base.
  • **Attribution:** Most licenses require attribution, ensuring you receive credit for your work even when others use it.
  • **Legal Clarity:** Provides a clear legal framework for how your content can be used, reducing the risk of disputes. Understanding Copyright is crucial here.
  • **Community Standards:** Many wikis, particularly those built around open knowledge, adhere to specific licensing philosophies.

Choosing *no* license is effectively choosing the most restrictive license possible – all rights reserved. This is generally discouraged for wikis aiming for open collaboration.

Common License Types

Several licenses are commonly used for wiki content. Here's a breakdown of the most popular choices, categorized by their level of permissiveness:

      1. 1. Creative Commons Licenses

Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a widely recognized set of licenses that offer varying degrees of permission. They are designed to be easy to understand and use.

  • **CC BY (Attribution):** This is the most permissive CC license. It allows others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they give you credit. This is a popular choice for wikis aiming for maximum openness. Consider it alongside Fair Use.
  • **CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike):** This license requires that any derivative works (works based on your content) be licensed under the same CC BY-SA license. This ensures that the openness of your work is preserved in any adaptations. It’s often used when maintaining a consistent licensing scheme is important.
  • **CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial):** This license allows others to remix, adapt, and build upon your work non-commercially, and they must give you credit. Commercial use is prohibited. This is a good option if you want to prevent your content from being used for profit. Compare this to Public Domain.
  • **CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike):** This is the most restrictive CC license. It combines the requirements of attribution, non-commercial use, and share-alike.
  • **CC0 (Creative Commons Zero):** This license effectively dedicates your work to the public domain, relinquishing all copyright claims. It's even more permissive than CC BY.
      1. 2. GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL)

The GFDL is a copyleft license specifically designed for documentation. It’s often used for free software documentation and was historically popular for Wikipedia. It requires that derivative works be licensed under the GFDL as well. However, it has become less common due to compatibility issues with other licenses.

      1. 3. Other Licenses
  • **MIT License:** A permissive license often used for software, but can be applied to any form of content. It allows almost unlimited reuse, modification, and distribution, even for commercial purposes.
  • **Apache License 2.0:** Another permissive license commonly used for software, with similar characteristics to the MIT License.
  • **Public Domain Dedication:** Explicitly placing your work in the public domain, relinquishing all copyright claims. This is the most open option, but you lose all control over how your work is used.

Considerations for Different Content Types

The best license for your wiki might depend on the type of content you’re hosting:

  • **Text:** CC BY or CC BY-SA are often excellent choices for text-based content, encouraging collaboration and reuse.
  • **Images:** Consider the source of the images. If you created the images yourself, you can choose any license. If you obtained them from elsewhere, you must respect the original license. CC BY is often used for images that are freely licensed. Also, investigate Image Rights.
  • **Software Code:** MIT License or Apache License 2.0 are commonly used for software code snippets.
  • **Audio/Video:** CC BY or CC BY-SA can be used for audio and video content, but consider the potential for commercial use and whether you want to require share-alike terms.
  • **Templates & Stylesheets:** MIT License or Apache License 2.0 are good choices for templates and stylesheets, as they are often used in other projects.

Implementing Your Chosen License on Your Wiki

Once you've selected a license, you need to clearly communicate it to your users. Here's how to do that in MediaWiki:

1. **Wiki-Wide License:** Define a default license for the entire wiki. This is typically done by editing the `MediaWiki:Licence` page. This page displays a license notice on pages like the "About" page and edit summaries. The content of this page should clearly state the license terms. For example: 

   ```wiki
   This wiki's content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
   ```

   Replace the example license with your chosen license.

2. **Page-Specific Licenses:** You can override the wiki-wide license on a per-page basis. This is useful if you have content with different licensing requirements. Use the `Template:License` template (if installed – it may need enabling in your MediaWiki configuration) or manually add a license notice to the bottom of each page.

3. **Uploads (Images & Media):** When uploading files, MediaWiki allows you to specify a license for each file. Ensure users select an appropriate license during the upload process. This is crucial for respecting the rights of content creators.

4. **License Notices in Edit Summaries:** Encourage users to include a brief license notice in their edit summaries, especially when creating new content. For example: "Added new section under CC BY-SA 4.0".

5. **Link to the Full License Text:** Always provide a clear link to the full text of the chosen license. This allows users to easily understand their rights and obligations. Include this link on the `MediaWiki:Licence` page and on any page-specific license notices.

6. **Copyright Notices:** Consider adding a copyright notice to the bottom of your wiki's pages. For example: "© 2023 [Your Wiki Name]. Licensed under [Your License]".

7. **Clearly Defined Terms of Use:** Supplement your license selection with a comprehensive Terms of Use page that outlines acceptable use policies, disclaimers, and other important information.

License Compatibility

When combining content licensed under different licenses, you need to ensure that the licenses are compatible. Some licenses are more restrictive than others, and combining incompatible licenses can create legal problems.

  • **Permissive Licenses (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0, CC BY):** These licenses are generally compatible with most other licenses. You can usually combine content licensed under a permissive license with content licensed under a more restrictive license, as long as you comply with the terms of the more restrictive license.
  • **Copyleft Licenses (e.g., GFDL, CC BY-SA):** These licenses require that derivative works be licensed under the same license. Combining content licensed under a copyleft license with content licensed under a permissive license is generally possible, but you must license the resulting work under the copyleft license.
  • **Non-Commercial Licenses (e.g., CC BY-NC):** Combining content licensed under a non-commercial license with content licensed under a commercial license is generally not permitted.

It's always best to consult with a legal professional if you're unsure about license compatibility. Resources like the Creative Commons Wiki offer guidance on license compatibility.

Best Practices & Further Resources

  • **Be Consistent:** Choose a license and stick to it as much as possible. This simplifies licensing and reduces confusion.
  • **Document Your Choices:** Keep a record of the licenses you've used and why you chose them.
  • **Educate Your Users:** Make sure your users understand the license terms and how they apply to their contributions.
  • **Consider Legal Counsel:** If you have complex licensing needs, consult with a lawyer specializing in copyright and open licensing.
    • Resources:**



Main Page Help:Contents MediaWiki Copyright Fair Use Terms of Use Image Rights Creative Commons Wiki Licensing Open Content

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