Libre resources
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[edit] Libre Resources
The term "libre resources"[1] usually refers to digital resources - files in an open/free format containing (e.g.) text, an image, sound, multimedia, etc. or combinations of these (accessible with free software) and released under a licence which grants the users the freedom to access, read, listen to, watch, or otherwise experience the resource; to learn with, copy, perform, adapt and use it for any purpose; and to contribute and share enhancements or derived works.
Such resources are central to movements associated with Free software, free culture, and free knowledge, etc., and are used by libre communities - for example, for learning (see libre learning (below).
The libre manifesto indicates some of the values behind such movements.
Use of the term "Libre Resources" emerged from discussions of Free/Libre Knowledge as a generalisation. Libre Knowledge may be defined as follows:
[edit] Libre knowledge
Libre knowledge[2] implies freedom to read, listen to, watch, or otherwise experience explicit knowledge; to learn with, copy, adapt and use it for any purpose; contribute new insights and share these for the common good; and all of this with free software.
“Explicit knowledge” is knowledge that has been captured in a form representable on a computer (e.g. text, sound, video, animation, executable program, etc.).
Users of libre knowledge are free to
(0) use the work for any purpose
(1) study its mechanisms, to be able to modify and adapt it to their own needs
(2) make and distribute copies, in whole or in part
(3) enhance and/or extend the work and share the result similarly.
Freedoms 1 and 3 require free formats and free software as defined by the Free Software Foundation
The above definition was inspired by the Free Software definition and by a posting on Jimmy Wales's blog "Free Knowledge requires Free Software and Free File Formats".
Some of the discussions leading to the emergence of the ideas of "libre resources" and libre communities occurred during workshops in a project originally called "Free Knowledge Communities", and later Libre Communities. The primary concern was the need to provide access to learning resources for the developed world - resources which would inevitably need to be recontextualised and adapted for local use. It would also be beneficial if the recipients of such resources are free to adapt and distribute derived works without restriction.
The intent is to encourage people concerned with open content (etc.) to distinguish "open" from "free/libre", to understand Copyleft, and to license resources accordingly, to enable a "copy-modify, mix and share" (free) culture and society. Discussions along these lines may be found in (for example) the forums and at conferences of the Open educational resources communities, discussions about Free software and free culture. These are likely to continue as the GPL version 3 and Creative Commons version 3 processes unfold in 2006-7.
For a discussion on the meaning of "freedom", see for example Freedom Defined.
[edit] Libre Learning
Libre Learning is (potentially collaborative, social constructionist learning) unfettered by overly restrictive licenses using Libre resources.
See also: wikiversity.
[edit] Historical Notes
- 2001 Fle3 announcement - libre Software for Libre knowledge building[3]
