Re: [opendocument-users] Where to send suggestions for changing thelicense?

[Robin Cover <robin@oasis-open.org>]

On Sat, 17 Feb 2007, J.B. Nicholson-Owens wrote:

> In the footer of every page of the OpenDocument v1.1 specification I see
> the following text:
>
>    Copyright © OASIS Open 2002 - 2006. All Rights Reserved
>
> This tells me that I am granted nothing with regard to the spec file; I
> can't even non-commercially share verbatim copies of it with others.
> This strikes me as far too restrictive, certainly for a reference
> document such as a specification.
>
> I would like to suggest that the spec be relicensed under a license that
> allows:
>
>    - redistribution in any format without royalty
>    - modification
>
> and I see no problem with allowing commercial distribution.
>
> Where would I send such a suggestion?
>
> Thanks.

Re:

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/download.php/20847/OpenDocument-v1.1-cs1.pdf

I just looked at the specification (PDF, CS1 as balloted), and concur that
the copyright status of the document is not clearly described.  I'm sure
this will be corrected in the final OS version.  I'll convey your
message to the appropriate Staff at OASIS, but you can also send a
comment to the TC (eds):

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/comments/form.php?wg_abbrev=office

Customarily, a document section "Notices" follows the section "status"
and it supplies more complete language.

You are correct (IMO, if I understand you) that the standard phrase
"All Rights Reserved" makes no sense to the average person if/when, in
fact, the claim being made is "Some Rights Reserved."

On this, note the wildly popular and successful Creative Commons:
http://creativecommons.org/

"Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists,
artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms
they want it to carry. You can use CC to change your copyright terms from
"All Rights Reserved" to "Some Rights Reserved."

As to the customary boilerplate language, see (in part):

http://docs.oasis-open.org/templates/OASISSpecificationTemplateV3.0.html

"This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it or
assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published, and
distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any kind,
provided that the above copyright notice and this section are included on
all such copies and derivative works. However, this document itself may
not be modified in any way, including by removing the copyright notice or
references to OASIS, except as needed for the purpose of developing any
document or deliverable produced by an OASIS Technical Committee (in which
case the rules applicable to copyrights, as set forth in the OASIS IPR
Policy, must be followed) or as required to translate it into languages
other than English.

The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
revoked by OASIS or its successors or assigns."

  ====================================================

Or see:

http://www.oasis-open.org/who/intellectualproperty.php#notices

This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it or
assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published, and
distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any kind,
provided that the above copyright notice and this section are included on
all such copies and derivative works. However, this document itself may
not be modified in any way, including by removing the copyright notice or
references to OASIS, except as needed for the purpose of developing any
document or deliverable produced by an OASIS Technical Committee (in which
case the rules applicable to copyrights, as set forth in the OASIS IPR
Policy, must be followed) or as required to translate it into languages
other than English.

The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
revoked by OASIS or its successors or assigns.

   ====================================================

Robin Cover


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