Talk:Uploading files or images

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Images, Permissions, Attributions, Ethics, and Copyrights
I've been charging ahead adding images to several wiki.familysearch.org articles for the last few days. I was experimenting to see what is possible and how to do it. I'm not much of a graphics guy and hadn't thought much about it before. I just wanted to have some nice illustrations for articles I helped create.

Tonight I started poking around on Wikipedia.com to see how they do images.

WOW!

Wikipedia tends to have an elaborate package for most images. One of the most impressive parts is the section showing EXACTLY what permission they have for using that image. I hadn't thought much about permission and attributions until I saw Wikipedia. I think we probably need to set up a protocol or proceedure to do the same for our wiki.familysearch.org images. The Wikipedia model looks like a good place to start.

Policing.And somebody needs to be in charge of notifying (in an encouraging way) new image uploaders like me of their responsibilities to get and post the correct permissions.

I have avoided anything that was a clear-cut copyright violation. But now that I step back and think about it I wonder if all my image choices are ethically wise. So some guidance would be appropriate.


 * Is it okay to upload-copy an image of blank 1930 Soundex index cards off of a government (no copyright) National Archives Internet site if I attribute the original image? What is proper attribution? Do I have to seek permission from NARA?
 * Is it okay to upload-copy a fraction (1/8th) of one 1930 census page off a commercial site like Ancestry.com. I believe the census is public domain. Is a fraction of a page a violation of copyright? How do I go about getting permission (from Ancestry, or from NARA?) Does the Church copyrights group need to be involved, or can I go ahead and seek permission on my own? And what do we do when it is a non-LDS-Church employee that uploads the image?
 * If I'm discussing an Internet site in an article to explain how it (like Morse's One Step 1930 Census site) works, is it okay to upload-copy an image from part of that site? If so, how much? A full screen, or part of a screen? Again how do I attribute it. What the proper channel for getting permission?
 * What are the rules about uploading-copying images (Early Church Information File cards) that were originally published in an LDS Church FHL paper publication. Do I need permission from our Copyright office if I am basically transcribing that publication onto the wiki?
 * Is permission needed to upload-copy a blank form like a research log from the Family History Library?
 * If I upload-copy a filled-in homemade research log of my own making, how do I create a permission statement for its use? I sure like the way Wikipedia does that sort of thing.
 * If I upload-copy images from Personal Ancestral File which show my own genealogy data do I need permission from both PAF (our Copyright office) and from myself? How do I attribute it? How do I create my own permission statement?
 * Do alterations make any difference. If I want to add a red oval or arrow to emphasize some part of the image I'm trying to explain, does that affect copyright or permission responsibilities in any way?
 * Shouldn't we ask that all the proper permissions and attributions be taken care of BEFORE the images appear? If so, should I take down my illustrations until then? And how do we encourage others to do it right without smothering their creative fires?
 * If someone messes up and somehow violates a copyright law or crosses an ethical boundary on this wiki, are they acting as their own agent, or as an agent of the Family History Department? And how are possible problems spotted/enforced/worked-out/corrected on a wiki?

Diltsgd 23:38, 17 January 2008 (MST)

Great questions! We are actively working on these issues. I have made our product manager aware of your questions. Molliewog 07:47, 18 January 2008 (MST)

Text wrap around an image
I added an image to the Ireland page using the options: thumbnail, left. The image does not have the text flowing around it as described by the wikipedia guide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Extended_image_syntax. I am wondering if there are some features not enabled or if we are using a different version of Wiki Media than described in the Wikipedia help section.

How do I get text to wrap around an image?

Darris 14:38, 31 December 2007 (MST)