Nupedia Open Content License

[Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M.]

John,

We are in agreement.

My point was simple - - although my explanation was too laconic, sorry about
that - - you are far better of by keeping fair use issues out of the
license.

Rod

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Cowan" <jcowan at reutershealth.com>
To: "Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M." <rod at cyberspaces.org>
Cc: "David Johnson" <david at usermode.org>; "Jimmy Wales"
<jwales at aristotle.bomis.com>; <license-discuss at opensource.org>
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2000 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: Nupedia Open Content License


> "Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M." wrote:
> >
> > A point of clarification on fair use. "Fair use" is based on copyright.
>
> Quite so.  As you know (or should have known :-) ), I hold that an
> open-source license can only grant away the rights that the copyright
owner
> gets from the applicable copyright law, consequently ...
>
> > Hence, the license may control uses that would otherwise be deemed fair
uses
> > under the default rules of copyright.
>
> ... I deny this, since open-source licenses may not control use at all.
>
> --
> There is / one art                   || John Cowan
<jcowan at reutershealth.com>
> no more / no less                    || http://www.reutershealth.com
> to do / all things                   || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
> with art- / lessness                 \\ -- Piet Hein
>