Category talk:FOTW images

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FOTW Copyright: [1]

Most text and images contained in the website are made by the contributors themselves. If the contributor says what is the origin of the information we report it, otherwise we assume it is new material and the copyright is owned by the contributor. Our editorial policy is to include images only when we can ascertain that we have permission to use them. However, it is often the case that an image is provided to us with little back-up information associated with it. In such cases we try to assess if the image is owned by someone before posting it. If you encounter an image which you think may be from your site and used on FOTW without permission, please contact the editor of the page to advise him. Our intent is to provide as complete a collection of the world's flags as possible, and we would be most grateful to be able to use your image. If we know where it comes from, we will credit it. Some pictures are derived from cliparts of graphical programs. Cliparts normally can be incorporated into drawings without any copyright problems. Therefore we add them to the website without declaring anything about their origin. You can freely use any material copyrighted by the contributors of the website, provided that:

• you limit your use to a maximum of 5% of the images or content of the website
• you quote the author
• you quote the website (as "FOTW Flags Of The World website at http://flagspot.net/flags/")
• you do not alter in any way the images or the content of the text
• you use the material for non-commercial and non-political purposes only
• if you distribute our material by a non-Internet way (e.g., floppy disks or CD-ROM) you must add this copyright text on every copy of the medium
• if you distribute our materials by a non-Internet way (e.g., floppy disks or CD-ROM) you cannot sell these media
• if you want to mirror the Web, read these additional rules
• If you want to reuse FOTW GeoIndex maps and boundaries' data, read these rules

[edit] Problem

I got a notice on the mailing list about copyright violations of certain images. Me and others will fix the copyright problems, or draw the images ourselves so we do not have to deal with copyright issues. Zscout370 (Sound Off) 18:02, 21 August 2005 (UTC)

According to FOTW copyright, images cannot be used without crediting the author and linking to FOTW. They also cannot be used for commercial purposes. I believe that this means even if they are used properly without breaking the FOTW copyright rules, using them is against Wikipedia policy [2], except possibly if more general permission is obtained from the author. JPD 19:12, 21 August 2005 (UTC)

Well, I already redrew a flag and I will be in the process of redrawing a few more. From talking to FOTW, they will first remove the images that do not follow that copyright (no linkback, no abtribution). Then, once we get those out of the way, I will see what happens next. Zscout370 (Sound Off) 20:57, 21 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] FOTW attribution

The FOTW copyright notice says:
"...You can freely use any material copyrighted by the contributors of the website, provided that:

• you limit your use to a maximum of 5% of the images or content of the website
• you quote the author
• ..."

But we do not quote the authors, so we do not follow the copyright notice. Should we delete the images? --Palnatoke 06:36, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is the plan?

Many of these images are certainly of notable flags and are included as important parts of articles. Wikipedia needs to have images of those flags. We should have some sort of plan to replace them with free images. Simply deleting them will lower the quality of wikipedia. If we gather enough people with knowledge in image editing it shouldn't be a daunting task. Inge 15:08, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

I and others been drawing them systematicly. It's a slow process, but after about a year of probably doing this, we have gone down a lot. It will probably take about another year to probably nuke all of the images here. User:Zscout370 ^{(Return Fire)} 03:42, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

One intermediate solution is to replace these flags with ones from vector-images.com -- something I have been doing extensively for U.S. city flags. They are usually of lower resolution that their FOTW counterparts, but it is certainly better than nothing. Ultimately, all bitmap flags should be replaced with good vector images. Oh, and remember that FOTWpics by Jaume Ollé should be licensed as GFDL and may be used on Wikipedia. (reference) --Himasaram 02:19, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

I am not touching Jaume's images, since he is not the only guy letting Wikipedia use his images (myself and Grutness included, among others). I am asking for more FOTW editors to either join Wikipedia to donate images or to give us permission. But, what you are doing is good, and I am still in the process of replacing them all with vector graphics. User:Zscout370 ^{(Return Fire)} 02:39, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

I have been contributing loads of SVGs too, mind you. ;) My vector skills aren't very sharp yet, so I can't produce the detailed coats of arms present in many flags (especially city ones) so in those cases I rely on vector-images.com. I certainly hope they don't change their mind about letting us keep their images here... --Himasaram 07:29, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

Now a lot of images have been deleted. Is there a plan on this end for recreating them? The deleting of the Norwegian flags have made several articles almost useless. I know I am pushing this issue, but I really don't see how else those images will return. Inge 08:09, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

Yes, the images will be recreated. Though it is my fault for not going in a specific order (I am doing just random order and other important graphics), they will eventually get done. However, you are not nagging or anything. I started this issue, I should damn well fix it. (However, if I can comment, it felt like Wikipedia was trying to display every single flag that existed. Maybe once the important ones are knocked out, then others can be done). User:Zscout370 ^{(Return Fire)} 13:36, 4 October 2006 (UTC)