Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license

Create music and sound effects for mainline or user-made content.

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zookeeper
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Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license

Post by zookeeper »

A while back I was searching for some free music to use on my campaign, and found some excellent pieces on Opsound. These songs are licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.

Would anyone here know can I include these in my campaign when some day publishing it on the campaign server? The license allows redistribution of a derivative work under an identical license, which GPL hardly is (and I suppose campaigns published on the campaign server will be under GPL). The intent of the license, however, seems to be to allow the works to be used just as freely as GPL'd code, for instance. Then again, I don't think I'm especially good with legal stuff.

While it would be very unlikely that there would be any problems with anyone if I just went ahead and used the songs while crediting the artists, I anyway decided to ask if anyone has had an alike problem (and/or a solution).

Of course there's also the possibility of mailing the chaps directly and asking for a permission that way, which I will probably use unless it somehow becomes very clear that I can use the songs safely.
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turin
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Post by turin »

Unfortunately, although they seem very similar, and I really can't tell the difference, the CCPL is not the GPL, so it would be illegal to put CCPLed stuff on the campaign server.

But, if you go to Opsound's "Want to use Opsound music?", it says you can always ask for them to let you use it under the terms of the GPL. I suspect they won't have a problem with it, although with these music types you can never be sure... ;)
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irrevenant
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Post by irrevenant »

Why would it be illegal?

There seems to have been no problem with distributing proprietary game data with GPL software (eg. Planeshift), so I can't imagine using a slightly different Free licence would make a difference.

Where it might make things a little complicated is if you wanted to meld data files (eg. combine the CCPL music with a GPLed track), but other than that...

Or am I not seeing something?
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Post by turin »

You are most definitely not seeing something.
I wrote:so it would be illegal to put CCPLed stuff on the campaign server.
Content uploaded to the campaign server must be under the GPL.
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zookeeper
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Post by zookeeper »

Content uploaded to the campaign server must be under the GPL.
I guess I didn't really come to think that I might just give a link on the forums to the campaign, without publishing it on the server (getting permissions from authors might take a while). I might want to do this anyway, since I don't like the idea of cluttering up the campaign server with half-finished campaigns (at least not before the user gets a way to filter finished and unfinished ones without looking at version numbers). And of course, even when putting the campaign online somewhere else and just providing a link on the forums, I'd have to clearly state that the entire campaign isn't GPL'd, etc.

This might work, at least for quite some time, since the campaign will take quite a bit of time to finish (3 full playable scenarios ready).
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Post by irrevenant »

turin wrote:You are most definitely not seeing something.
And that something would be...?
turin wrote:Content uploaded to the campaign server must be under the GPL.
Again, why? As far as I can see, there's no legal reason you can't distribute proprietary data files with GPLed software.

If it's a policy reason, it's a bad policy. The GPL is an awkward licence to use for music or art files. According to gnu.org "You can apply the GPL to any kind of work, as long as it is clear what constitutes the "source code" for the work. The GPL defines this as the preferred form of the work for making changes in it.".

In short, if Wesnoth uses GPLed .oggs, you're legally obligated to make them available in "the preferred form for making changes" as well. This could be very icky if "the preferred form" (ie. the data files used by your music program) require use of proprietary instrument samples. This probably invalidates the GPL anyway.

Something like the Creative Commons Sharealike Licence would make a lot more sense.
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Post by Aleksi »

I must say i agree with Irrevenant!
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Post by turin »

WHY is because AT THIS POINT IN TIME, content uploaded to the server must be GPLed! That's a rule of the campaign server! Sheesh.

And, although a change in license might be desired (I don't think it is), it is currently impossible anyway, since the content people have already submitted they did so under the assumption it would be GPLed. It would actually be illegal to take it and CC it. :roll:
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Post by scott »

So is there actually a problem with ogg files and the GPL? My "source" for a holy ankh sound I made is a Garage Band project file, and I have no idea if you can modify it without Garage Band.

We should determine the actual extent of the problem, since these questions have probably already been answered by someone.

I think the server rule could be modified without too much trouble. Just contact the authors asking if the art and audio can be re-released under an artisitic license and delete anyone who says no or can't be contacted. The authors of the major works are still contactable. However, I don't think we should do it unless it's necessary.
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Post by maxl »

If you want to use artistic licenses in future, it would probably be the best solution to add a "license"-column to the campaign-server-menu and give the user some information about the license or at least a link to a copy of it. In addition, only campaigns that are distributed under some sort of rules (something like the DFSG, for example) should be available on the campaign-server. This would ensure the user, that he uses a free game and free data, but artists would not be restricted to a license that is hard to use for anything other than source-code.
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Post by irrevenant »

turin wrote:WHY is because AT THIS POINT IN TIME, content uploaded to the server must be GPLed! That's a rule of the campaign server! Sheesh.
Okay, and why is it a rule of the campaign server? If it's a policy decision, that can be changed. If it's a legal requirement, that's a different matter.
turin wrote:And, although a change in license might be desired (I don't think it is), it is currently impossible anyway, since the content people have already submitted they did so under the assumption it would be GPLed. It would actually be illegal to take it and CC it. :roll:
As Scott noted, the authors are free to relicense. And there's no reason that a licencing change can't be rolled out on a piecemeal basis like an art change...
maxl wrote:If you want to use artistic licenses in future, it would probably be the best solution to add a "license"-column to the campaign-server-menu and give the user some information about the license or at least a link to a copy of it.
I think it's best to keep all game data under one license as much as possible. I just don't think the GPL should be that licence.

I have emailed FSF to clarify this question. Hopefully I'll get a response shortly
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Post by scott »

It's a policy rule, and the goals are to make all content be open source and free use. As far as I know making it all go under the GPL is for simplicity.
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Post by scott »

Would the game consider using semi-professional symphonic pieces released under CC terms? I have been listening to some and they are dynamite.
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Post by Discordanian »

I'd like to see the inclusion of certain CC licensed songs. GPL is a very very poor license for audio. It's why CC was created in the first place.

I release all of my (http://kurt.slithytoves.org) music using http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ which is the EFF recommended version of what used to be the OAL (Open Audio License) which is now defunct.

Who do I need to talk to about the inclusion of CC music into the mix?
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Post by Benanov »

My opinion to work around the situation?

Dual-license the work.
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