User:Bilby/Guide to uploading files

Wikiversity follows the policy instituted by the Wikimedia Foundation in regard to the use of non-free images. Thus Wikiversity can only accept images released under a compatible free-use license.

Logos
Logos are not always protected by copyright. Any logo first published prior to 1923 is now public domain, and logos consisting of pure text and/or simple geometric shapes generally do not pass the threshold for originality in order to have copyright protection. Thus these logos can be uploaded to Wikiversity or Wikimedia Commons without requiring a fair use rationale.

When uploading free logos, you will need to add either (for logos consisting only of text or simple geometric shapes), or  (when copyright has expried) to the page.

Note that logos can still be trademarked, even if they are not copyrightable, and that in some cases under US law logos of government agencies may have legal restrictions on their use (even though copyright will not apply). Care should be taken with the use of all logos, especially where the use of the logo may make a misleading impression of the relationship of the organisation to Wikiversity.

Examples

 * Association of British Tool Makers: published in 1917, it is now considered to be in the public domain.
 * Adobe Systems: although first published after 1923, the logo consists only of text and simple geometric shapes, and is therefore ineligible for copyright protection.
 * IBM: published in 1967, the logo consists only of text and simple geometric shapes.

Portraits
As a rule, any photograph of a living person is potentially replaceable. Therefore photographs of living people may only be used if they have been released under a compatible free license, and can not be used in Wikiversity under a fair use exemption.


 * Generally, copyright belongs to the photographer, not the subject. Even if the portrait is of the uploader, the uploader may not have the right to release it under a free license.
 * A small number of exceptions may apply when it is not possible to obtain a free use equivalent. In particular, this may occur when the appearance of the person during a particular point in time is especially significant, or where the person is permanently incarcerated and is not available for photography.
 * Under the fair use exemption, portraits of living people must significantly increase the reader's understanding of the topic in order to be used. Portraits used decoratively, in order to identify a person mentioned in passing in the text, are unlikely to meet this requirement.

In situations where a portrait is desirable, but where the work will not meet the fair use requirements, it may be worth contacting the subject to ask if there is a photograph which they would be willing to release under a compatible license. In these cases it is recommended that the subject contact OTRS to provide permission for the photograph to be be released.

With non-living subjects there is more leeway, as it may not be possible to replace the work with an equivalent free use portrait. However, the standard restrictions for all non-free media still apply.

Screenshots
Screenshots can be an invaluable addition to learning resources, and can be employed to show the reader what they can expect to see when employing the software being discussed. However, as with other works, screenshots must be used with consideration of the copyright conditions under which they are available.

Generally, commercial software is protected by copyright, and screenshots of commercial software can only be used under the terms of the Exemption Doctrine Policy. However, Open Source and other "free" software, such as public domain works, are not protected in the same manner, and screenshots of such software may come under the license of the software. In many cases, these may serve as suitable replacements for non-free software screenshots, and accordingly are preferred where a specific software package is not required.