[Sussex] Canadian "Open Source" licence for creative works completed

[Steve Dobson]

Mark

On Wed, Sep 08, 2004 at 01:58:45PM +0100, Mark Harrison wrote:
> Many of you may be aware of this:
> 
> > In harmony with the GNU/Linux philosophy of making software free and
> > shareable, the USA Creative Commons project came up with licenses
> > for allowing artistic works to be copied, shared, and modified.
> > Unfortunately, the wording of those licenses is necessarily specific
> > to USA law, and they don't quite work in Canada (or other countries).
> 
> Well, the "Canadian port" of the legal work is now complete, and there
> is therefore a "free" (as in beer) licence for creative works valid in
> Canadian law. The "launch party" is happening in a couple of weeks time.
> 
> http://www.cippic.ca/en/projects-cases/icommons-canada/
> 
> Would anyone have any objection to my sending an "official note of
> congratulations from the Sussex Linux Users Group" on our behalf?
> 
> If so, I'll post a draft here first.
> 
> I think it's important that we recognise this kind of initiative "as
> a group" as well as as individuals...

I think it would be a good idea to send an "official" congratulations.

However I would be unhappy for such a message to sent using "Microsoft
Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437" (Mark's MUA).  Microsoft is currently
using "Open Standards" and their "Royalty Free Sender ID Patent License"
as a weapon agains the GPL [1].

This I think gives the wronge message as it shows support (or at least
acceptace) of Microsoft's current FUD that "Royalty Free" is compatable
with FOSS.  

Steve D

[1]
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20040905212754195