[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #15769: Hello Dolly plugin doesn't explain license of copyrighted lyrics

[WordPress Trac]

#15769: Hello Dolly plugin doesn't explain license of copyrighted lyrics
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 Reporter:  novasource    |       Owner:
     Type:  defect (bug)  |      Status:  reopened
 Priority:  normal        |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Plugins       |     Version:  3.0.2
 Severity:  major         |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  2nd-opinion   |
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Changes (by novasource):

 * keywords:  common sense => 2nd-opinion
 * type:  feature request => defect (bug)
 * severity:  trivial => major


Comment:

 The debate right now is about including non-free content within a GPL-
 licensed product.

 As for the alleged educational use, per above, use of this song's entire
 lyrics is not within an attempt to educate about or comment on the song or
 its art. The lyrics are used as mere decoration.

 As further proof, the educational value of the Hello Dolly module is not
 diminished one bit if the copyrighted, non-free lyrics are replaced with
 lyrics under GPL-compatible licensing.

 It is a wildly liberal reading of free use to allege that nonprofit
 educational organizations are exempt from copyright law, yet that is the
 logical end of the defenses of including the Hello, Dolly! lyrics in
 WordPress. Hopefully the WordPress project isn't being used as a proxy for
 a challenge to copyright laws.

 What do you think would happen if we included a "snippet" of copyrighted
 Microsoft code in the WordPress project without permission from Microsoft?
 Is Jerry Herman's intellectual property different?

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/15769#comment:24>
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