#Wikipedia screenshot editor software#
#Wikipedia screenshot editor license#
#Wikipedia screenshot editor plus#

Assuming you have no other permission and also assuming that a screenshot can be viewed as a derivative work, then it could be argued, perhaps, that your wiki's screenshots should fall under the GPL as derivative works. GPL is a copyleft licence, which means it demands derivative works to be licensed under the GPL as well, except if the original work's copyright holder gives other permission. Because MediaWiki's skins are under the GPL, this means that you have to look in the GPL to learn what you can do with your wiki's screenshots. Therefore one could, perhaps, argue that sentence B may apply, because your screenshot may contain icons, text, menu items, visual elements, and creativity associated with MediaWiki's skins.

#Wikipedia screenshot editor plus#

Much of the output of MediaWiki on screen is a combination of one of its skins plus your wiki's content. Whether sentence B applies has much to do with MediaWiki's skins: obviously the skins, including MonoBook, are parts of MediaWiki. If sentence B applies, then the screenshot must probably be licensed under the same licence as the software, which means that website users must licence their screenshots under the GPL and not some other licence such as Creative Commons Attribution or public domain. However, it would be a good idea not to rely on such laws and instead have a clear screenshot licence by the copyright holders. If the copyright law recognises copyrightability in screenshots, then in some legal systems these copyrights may be balanced by fair use, fair dealing, or right to quote laws. If sentence B does not apply to the program, then sentence A probably applies, which would probably mean that screenshots are outside the scope of the GPL and are therefore within the scope of the copyright law, which if it recognises copyrightability in screenshots then can be managed with screenshot-specific licences granted by the copyright holders. 'the output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the Program'

#Wikipedia screenshot editor license#

A: 'Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not covered by this License they are outside its scope.'.MediaWiki is covered by the GPL version 2 or later version licence, which says: The notion of copyrightability of screenshots is not totally foreign, see w:en:Screenshot#Copyright_issues and The purpose of this page, therefore, is to examine questions regarding the copyright of screenshots showing MediaWiki's user interface. If that's true then it would be a good idea to think about what this means for screenshots of MediaWiki wikis.

#Wikipedia screenshot editor software#

Recently it came to the original author of this page's attention that it is possible that a software screenshot can be considered a copyrighted work. It was written by a single author, but you are welcome to contribute to it, so don't be afraid to be bold and give us your thoughts as well (this doesn't mean that the original author necessarily agrees with your modifications). It is specifically declared that any opinions about legal matters contained here is most probably totally incorrect either because it was not written by experts or because it was a volunteering effort with no real attempt to produce any kind of useful advice, and therefore anything contained in this page is provided 'as is' and you use it at your own risk. This whole document and every sentence of it do not constitute legal advice and contain no claim about expertise in legal affaits.