Commons:Help desk/Archive/2011/11

Can I use images from wiki commons for illustrating my book?

Moved from Commons:OTRS/Noticeboard to here.

Hi, I am preparing my first book's publishing. My book is in Chinese and would be published in China. It is a collection of my essays about my experience and thoughts in living in America. So I need some images. I found some good images on wiki commons. Some of them in "public domain" which I understand are free to use, some of them are for users with OTRS account. I am a little confused what's the difference so I like to post my question and make sure that I could use them in publication as well. Thanks! Yunyi — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.23.111.225 (talk • contribs) 2011-11-01T04:01:45‎ (UTC)

Hi Yunyi! I have moved your question over to here. Please let's continue there. OTRS is just a way we document permissions (license releases) of authors of images. You do not need an "OTRS account" to use them. You can find help on using our images at Commons:Reuse. For each image which you find here on Commons/Wikipedia look on the file page for what is required to use it (some require for example attribution). Just reply below if this helped you and if you have further questions. Maybe it is useful to name a specific image about which you are not sure. --Saibo (Δ) 04:27, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi Saibo, Thanks for help. My difficulty is my English. I cannot be 100% sure about those technique terms. Here are couple of samples: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stonewall_Inn_1969.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NYC_-_Gay_parade_-_9765.jpg

They all have this discription:

---

You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work to remix – to adapt the work Under the following conditions: attribution – You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). share alike – If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one.

---

and I think it means I could use them in my publication. Just the use of terms sound so serious and makes me feel quite uncertain:-)

Here is another couple of them I like to use but not 100% sure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gay_Rights_demonstration,_NYC_1976.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stonewall_Inn_1969.jpg — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.23.111.225 (talk • contribs) 2011-11-01T14:09:14‎ (UTC)

Assuming your use does not raise any non-copyright issues (and I can't think why it would), you can use them, but you must comply to the license terms for each non-public-domain image. Typically, you must credit the photo on the page where it is used. That credit should include an indication of under what license it is used. For CC licenses and some others, somewhere (probably via a URL on your copyrights page) you also need to provide material that explains to the terms of the license. Let me know if you have more specific questions about any of the licenses in question, since some are a bit more complicated. - Jmabel ! talk 15:48, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi again Yunyi! First I want to comment on the word "serious" in your comment. Copyrights are serious - that's why it sounds serious. ;-) It could be expensive if you violate someone else's copyrights.

And and important note, too: We can give you some advice here - but we are only volunteers helping to the best of our knowledge. "Any answers you receive here are not legal advice and the responder cannot be held liable for them. If you have legal questions, we can try to help but our answers cannot replace those of a qualified professional (i.e. a lawyer)." VP, note 3

If you select on the top left side of this window Chinese as language you should see the file pages and licenses in Chinese - maybe this is easier to read for you?

All the example images except File:Gay_Rights_demonstration,_NYC_1976.jpg are non-public domain, but licensed under a "free license" by their photographers. Which means that these photographers allow anyone to use these pictures if the license requirements are met by you. The requirements are listed in the license which is mentioned on the file pages. For example File:Stonewall_Inn_1969.jpg is licensed under two licenses (GFDL and CC-by-sa-3.0) - you can choose one. Probably you want to choose the CC-by-sa-3.0 license, which has much nicer requirements and is easier to read.

When you decide to use an image it is nice (not required) to leave the photographer a note - either on his talk page or on the file's talk page mentioning your book title. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 18:35, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi Jmabel & Saibo, You guys are amazingly helpful! Thanks for all valuable suggestions. I will also read then in Chinese so I could make double sure that I understand everything. "leave the photographer a note", that's another great advice. Have a nice day! Yunyi

Saibo, You said "Probably you want to choose the CC-by-sa-3.0". How to do so? By mentioning the licenser's name? Such as: photograph by xxx, licensed by CC-by-sa3.0? Sorry about my ignorance on this. Thanks in advance. Yunyi

Saibo, I just visited CC BY-SA 3.0 site in English and it seems that the instruction is clearer in English than in Chinese (very interesting! Someone need to do better job in Chinese writing). And I guess what I understood above is right. Thanks for your time! Yunyi

Hi again Yunyi, you "choose" a license by following its terms/requirements when you use the photo. If you use another browser than Internet Explorer there are also some colorful buttons beneath the image - one of it is "use on the web". Hit it - it suggests (that is no legal advise) a attribution to use in your book. It should contain the name of the photographer, the license name and a URL where the license text can be found (for example http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode - just use the page of creativecommons which you come to when you click on the link in the license tag on the file page). To be sure that you do not miss anything you need to read the full legal (contract) text. Admittedly, using public domain images is easier. ;-) Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 00:41, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Saibo, Again, thanks for your detailed instruction! And your patience! I now do have a much clearer idea about what to do and it's all because of your guys' helps. Have a wonderful day! Yunyi

New Uploaded YAU Logo

Dear Guider,

I was uploaded low resolution YAU logo at 25 October. After accepting from you for first logo, we can see this one beside of our university name in Facebook. We are so happy for this. But resolution is not so clear.

So I uploaded again high version one at 26 October. After uploading new one, we can see our new version in Wikipedia . But it is not change in facebook. I would like to know as how do I need to do for seeing beside our university's name in Face Book.

With regards,

Kaung Myat

You'll have to take that up with Facebook. We have no control over how they import data from Wikipedia. Powers (talk) 21:15, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

{{self|cc-zero|cc-pd|Kopimi}}

Can I use {{self|cc-zero|cc-pd|Kopimi}} for my own work? 171.226.62.132 12:16, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

IMO, the short answer is no. We could try to elaborate a complicated argumentation saying that perhaps, strictly speaking, you could not be forbidden to use that string of tags. But it would have to be based on the assumption that every reader would guess your intentions and that they would know to ignore the inapplicable parts of your offer (for example that your continuation to offer a kopimi license would not be valid in countries where your public dedication was valid), etc. Basically, the only effect of the action of juxtaposing four tags that were never meant to be used together (including a pd dedication, an obsolete and not recommended pd dedication, and a license for copyrighted works) is to confuse the potential reusers. That looks like something someone might do if they wanted to discredit the concepts of public domain dedication and free licensing. -- Asclepias (talk) 13:48, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

What if I remove the kopimi to {{self|cc-zero|cc-pd}}? 171.226.116.171 14:00, 27 October 2011 (UTC)

It would be somewhat less bad, but still a bad idea. For at least two reasons. Firstly, it's not like those declarations were two optional licenses like, for example the GFDL and CC-by license, where a reuser can choose one or the other. Each of CC-PDDC and CC-0 is a declaration, a statement, by which a person states what the copyright status of the work is. It's not an offer of an option among other options. Each declaration is supposed to tell the whole status of a work. So, each such declaration is not really compatible with any other. It's not logical to make, at the sametime, two different statements that do not tell the same thing about the same work. Secondly, the CC-PDDC declaration is obsolete. Creative Commons has retired it for good reasons. It was somewhat confusing. In their own words: "US-specific; co-mingled two very different use cases. Replaced by two separate tools: the CC0 Public Domain Dedication and the Public Domain Mark." [1]. Creative Commons replaced it with better worded declarations, CC-0 and CC-PDM, each of which is adapted to different situations. A comparison between these two current declarations can be found there. In short, there is no reason to use two different statements together and anyway there is no good reason to use the obsolete CC-PDDC at all. -- Asclepias (talk) 16:19, 27 October 2011 (UTC)

Is the CC-PDDC intended both to release a work to the public domain and mark a work already in the public domain as being in the public domain? 113.190.111.4 16:02, 29 October 2011 (UTC)

Yes, to indicate either (and not telling which). That's why it was flawed. -- Asclepias (talk) 16:31, 29 October 2011 (UTC)

It does not make any sense to use cc-zero and cc-pd together. You should use cc-zero for your own works. Once you have applied cc-zero, any other copyright license tag is entirely redundant, because you have already released all rights. Dcoetzee (talk) 03:06, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Are my Uploaded pics really copyrighted?

I just uploaded some pics of my Original Characters on Wikipedia. They were all made 100% by me. However the style is from a series called Super robot monkey team hyper force go. But the characters are made and styled by me. Is this still bad because the characters I've drawn arent in the series itself and never appeared in it also.

Im just a bit curious about this because I thought the characters were made by me. This is btw the article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Robot_Monkey_Team_Hyperforce_Go!_characters#DeviantArt_and_OCs

Thanks

Ilona Iske Aka ChiroChick — Preceding unsigned comment added by ChiroChick (talk • contribs) 2011-10-26T14:54:31‎ (UTC)

Of course they're copyrighted -- copyrighted by you. An artistic style is not copyrightable, so it is not a violation to create your own characters from scratch. That said, however, they are ridiculously out of scope as there is no reasonable educational purpose. Powers (talk) 14:44, 27 October 2011 (UTC)

Let's not jump to conclusions - they might be used to demonstrate an art style or a character archetype. But Ilona, please make sure if you can that at least one of your images finds a useful application in an educational resource like a Wikipedia article, or else they might be later deleted. Dcoetzee (talk) 03:04, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Updated image

Hi,

I've updated the following image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackdeath2.gif

in order to remove the digital watermarking, as has been requested on the page. However, when I upload the file, I'm not sure how to deal with the creative commons questions, etc. I'm not the original creator of the file, so I'm putting the original user, but it then asks me which creative commons license the original image was submitted under. I don't know!

Thanks for your help,

- Steve. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stevepickering (talk • contribs) 2011-10-28T13:43:57‎ (UTC)

Hi Steve, just use the "upload a new version" link below the filehistory. Type in the comment box what you have changed at the file ("removed watermark").

You didn't see the link before since it is only shown to accounts older than four days per default (I have overridden the default for you now). Your account is created today. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 14:26, 28 October 2011 (UTC)

Fantastic - thanks, Saibo! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stevepickering (talk • contribs) 2011-10-28T15:47:14‎ (UTC)

Well done, Steve! If you want to do another version: Iceland jumps by 1 pixel in 1351 (just saw it). --Saibo (Δ) 16:38, 28 October 2011 (UTC)

Fixed it myself. :) --Saibo (Δ) 04:18, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

 Done

copyrights

Hello Good evening, I would appreciate a reply to the following. The majority of the photos I have seen on Wikimedia have the following footnotes: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work to remix – to adapt the work Under the following conditions: attribution – You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). share alike – If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one.

Does that mean I can use these photos freely? In others it says The permission for use of this work has been verified and archived in the Wikimedia OTRS system. It is available as ticket #2.... Can I download this ticket number ? and how? Thanking you in advance, Sincerely Gerald — Preceding unsigned comment added by Worldcom24 (talk • contribs) 03:57, 29 October 2011‎ (UTC)

Hello, Yes, it means that you can use the licensed photos freely, as long as you apply the conditions of the particular license associated to each photo. Follow the link to the official text of the license for the details. You cannot dowload the OTRS tickets themselves, but if you think that the ticket may contain something that you should know to use the photo, you can ask about it to an OTRS volunteer or on the Commons:OTRS/Noticeboard, . -- Asclepias (talk) 04:30, 29 October 2011 (UTC)

See Commons:Reusing content outside Wikimedia for details. Dcoetzee (talk) 03:02, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Would this photo be in the public domain?

Hello. I'm wondering if this image from this website is in the public domain. The image is dated early 20th century and is credited to Erik Seidenfaden who lived from 1881–1958. It would have been taken in Thailand. The text and website is copyrighted but there is no mention specifically of the images. Thanks, France3470 (talk) 18:37, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

In many countries, the image will be copyrighted until 2029. If it was first published in the U.S. before 1923, it might be in the Public Domain in the U.S., but "early 20th century" is not specific enough to determine that. Powers (talk) 21:17, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

If the work was published before 1923, you can definitely upload it at the English Wikipedia, but you will need to find a more precise publication date. Dcoetzee (talk) 03:00, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Renaming a file

I'm not sure where to ask this, so I'm asking here. I accidentally uploaded File:Hurricane Cindy 1959 waterspout Nags Head.png with the current title, although I meant to upload it at File:Hurricane Cindy 1959 tornado Nags Head.png, as it's the correct phenomenon. Can it be moved to that location? Thanks. Hurricanefan25 (talk) 14:22, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi Hurricanefan25, that's the way you request renaming. (Use {{Rename}}.) -- RE rillke questions? 15:10, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Ta-da; file moved! Cheers and have a nice day! Pi.1415926535 (talk) 15:35, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Guidelines for acceptable media content

I know that commons is a media repository, but where can I find guidelines about what kind of content is acceptable for uploaded media? I am coming from English Wikipedia where someone posted a link to their new science theory on an article. HIV_Vaccine_Possible.pdf I am sure that this cannot be used to make a citation on Wikipedia, but I am not able to find guidelines on whether Commons is a repository for self-published essays. Is it okay to keep files like this uploaded to Commons? If someone uploaded this as a Wikipedia article, it would be deleted, and I wonder if there is a similar process here. Blue Rasberry (talk) 13:58, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Commons:Project scope is our policy on what files we include. Excluded from our scope are "Files that contain nothing educational other than raw text. Purely textual material such as plain-text versions of recipes, lists of instructions, poetry, fiction, quotations, dictionary definitions, lesson plans or classroom material, and the like are better hosted elsewhere, for example at Wikibooks, Wikiquote, Wiktionary, Wikiversity or Wikisource." Powers (talk) 15:26, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

"Science theory"? Looks like idle speculation to me. --Kramer Associates (talk) 19:02, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

I don't think this PDF would necessarily fall under the policy LtPowers cited, as it includes an illustrative image. However, I suspect it may not meet the other part of the criteria, namely that it "must be realistically useful for an educational purpose." --Philosopher ^{Let us reason together.} 06:08, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

Also, if you want to pursue deletion, see Commons:Deletion requests. --Philosopher ^{Let us reason together.} 06:10, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

Painting under copyright

What are my options for getting this painting on wikipedia? It's under copyright for sure since it was probably own made in the 1980s or 1990s. I'm not sure if the copyright is in the hand of the artist David Parker, who I'm not sure if he is still alive, or the Kamehameha Schools. If you get permission can you use it? Also how does fair use on the wikipedia work?--KAVEBEAR (talk) 06:24, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

There are two issues here: the copyright of the painting, and the copyright of the picture of it. To put it on Wikipedia, you will need to check both. For the painting you will have to find out who owns the copyright (it may be the painter, or his heirs if he is dead, or it may have been sold at some point), and get their permission. For the copyright of the picture, you will need to find who was the photographer, and check whether they still hold the copyright to it and if not who does, and get their permission; or you could go and take a picture of the painting yourself. Maproom (talk) 11:24, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Typically, a photo of a two-dimensional object like a picture does not introduce any additional copyright (though if it's in an elaborate, non-flat frame, it might). The issue would be the rights to the painting. - Jmabel ! talk 00:32, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

See en:Wikipedia:Non-free content for Wikipedia's fair use policy. If you do claim fair use, upload it there and not here. --Kramer Associates (talk) 21:32, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

@KAVEBEAR: If you have questions about fair use you can also ask at en:Wikipedia talk:Non-free content. Dcoetzee (talk) 00:56, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

HALP!

I uploaded a photo of the State Senator I work for (Bob Huff) to place on the Wikipedia page for Bob Huff.

Easy as pie, right? Not so much. Although the photo is uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, I can't seem to get it onto the Bob Huff Wikipedia page.

I know I must be doing something idiotly wrong. Please help!

Bill Bird — Preceding unsigned comment added by Billbird2111 (talk • contribs) 2011-11-02T00:07:44‎ (UTC)

Hi Bill! Right, here is the photo: File:Huff 2011 Photo Cropped II.jpg. First a question: are you the photographer?

To put it in the article: please follow the help in en:Wikipedia:Picture tutorial. You need to edit Bob's article and put in [[File:Huff 2011 Photo Cropped II.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Bob Huff]]. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 00:14, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

I am the photographer and I am Communications Director for Senator Huff. I will read that tutorial tomorrow, but when I clicked on the photo option in trying to edit the picture today it just wouldn't take. I must be doing something wrong. Thank you for your help! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Billbird2111 (talk • contribs) 2011-11-02T00:30:32‎ (UTC)

Not sure which "photo option" you mean. You need to edit his article (just use the edit button like you do here) and paste the code I suggested above. Of course, I can do it for you if you want me to - no problem.

I have left you a message on your talk page regarding the rights on the photo. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 12:54, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

He hasn't done it yet, so I've gone ahead and added it. For future reference, wikicode isn't needed for pages with infoboxes on them (as this one is), since they are designed for ease of use by people new to Wikipedia once the template code has been placed on the page. All that needed to be added here was Huff 2011 Photo Cropped II.jpg. --Philosopher ^{Let us reason together.} 06:24, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

"I am the photographer and I am Communications Director for Senator Huff." If I understand it correctly the photo should be licensed as PD-USGov like all other US government employee created photo's (if it was taken as part of the uploader's official duties). S_peakF_ree (talk) 01:31, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

"Communications Director for Senator" doesn't sound like it's a government employee. -- Asclepias (talk) 01:51, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Depends on whether he works for the Senator's campaign or for the Senator in his official duties. If the latter, he is most definitely a government employee. The problem is that Bob Huff is a state senator, not a U.S. Senator, and so PD-USGov would not apply. Powers (talk) 02:32, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Milena Apostolaki.jpg

Can anyone tell me whats wrong with this license? The picture is from flickr and has this licence.

Beste regards, Devil's Revenge (talk) 19:27, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

The problem is mentioned on the page: the image comes from a blacklisted flickr user account and images from that flickr account should not be uploaded to Commons, no matter under what licenses they may seem to be offered at that account. That said, I still find odd that the File Upload Bot (Magnus Manske) uplaoads files while at the same time it says that those files must not be uploaded and it does not even leave any indication of the source. It did the same with this other image. -- Asclepias (talk) 21:49, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for your explanation. By the way, this picture is made by the same user and has the same problem. Best regards. Devil's Revenge (talk) 23:13, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

It's not obvious why the bot has that particular account on its blacklist. I suppose it is prudent to take its word for it and not upload files from there, but the behavior of the bot seems strange. -- Asclepias (talk) 01:45, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

In my opinion the bot lost it's track.... maybe the Ελληνικό αλφάβητο drove the bot crazy...or the Greeks in general....;). Nothing seems wrong with the account. A female persoon living in Greece, no professional pictures, same subjects, many made with the same camera. Shall I make an manual upload? Best regards and sorry for my poor English. Devil's Revenge (talk) 09:27, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Please don't do that. The account is listed on Commons:Questionable Flickr images. It was added to that list in August 2010 by User:Martin H. I'll ask him to comment here. (Also note that we have many more photos by this Flickr user and even a category for them.) —LX (talk, contribs) 10:08, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

The reason is given at COM:QFI: The flickr stream also contains unfree third party photos and requires carefull checking. It is not impossible that a Flickr user could have uploaded some images they took that they did have rights to, and some images from another source that they did not (quote: COM:QFI). --Martin H. (talk) 10:18, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

p.s.: And exactly one of that photos from the unfree album got reuploaded: File:Marfin Egnatia Bank fire.png from [2] that Joanna not created. --Martin H. (talk) 10:23, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

But what is the solution? I don't think it is right just to delete a picture what is by coincidence uploaded by a bot. I think or we have to delete all pictures of this user or non. What is your opinion Martin? Best regards, Devil's Revenge (talk) 12:40, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

PS. I think we must solve this licence problem as soon as posable; This man will probably be the new prime minister of Greece. And the picture in the article is from.... Yes, from PIAZZA del POPOLO. Devil's Revenge (talk) 16:10, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

use picture files in an i-phone application

Hi, I want to create an app for the iphone. In this app there will be a database that needs pictures to help the user to recognize things. The app-user will not download the files. Am I allowed to use wikipedia commoms files for that purpose? - unsigned

1. The app user will download the files, they just won't save them. Any time you look at an image on a computer or mobile device, you are downloading it.
2. Certainly you can use any pictures that are public domain.
3. Other images may be more problematic. You're going to have to solve the UI design issue of crediting the authors of images, and to comply with the terms of most licenses you'll need to link to the appropriate licenses. (Details will vary by license.)

So it's completely doable, but you are going to have to learn your way a bit around copyright and licensing law. Have you read Commons:Reusing content outside Wikimedia? Hope that helps. - Jmabel ! talk 15:41, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Youtube video and documentaries

Can you upload images that you copy off your screen from youtube videos or documentaries? I'm talking about images such as old photographs or stuff like that.--KAVEBEAR (talk) 06:02, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Yes, but only if you can verify that they are under a free license or public domain --Kramer Associates (talk) 07:32, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

How about old videos like a clip of Queen Liliuokalani from 1917? But it's part of a longer recent and copyrighted video.--KAVEBEAR (talk) 02:19, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

If the frame you capture is based on a video or photo published before 1923 and was not substantially modified by the producers of the new film, it's totally okay. Ascertaining this may be difficult. Dcoetzee (talk) 02:59, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Can the ascertaining just be by the death date of the person in the video? Basically the clip is here at the first few minutes, is it okay?--KAVEBEAR (talk) 06:34, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

The death date of a person in the video is irrelevant. And the video can't have been published before 1923, as video technology did not exist then. Maproom (talk) 11:16, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Death dates can be used if the person died long enough ago (before 1923 in the US) that anything they were in would have been PD. Film existed pre-1923, and mere digitization shouldn't add any copyrights. --Kramer Associates (talk) 21:23, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

Do you know anybody that is expert at uploading old video clips? --KAVEBEAR (talk) 21:41, 6 November 2011 (UTC)

We already have the photo of the Queen that's in that segment of the documentary: File:Liliuokalani sitting on throne, 1900, full.jpg. Powers (talk) 17:54, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

I wasn't talking about the image. I was originally talking about images in videos, but then I asking talking about old films clips. I mean't the two clips of the Queen after a few seconds after the image you pointed out.--KAVEBEAR (talk) 21:38, 6 November 2011 (UTC)

Uploading a new version is unfriendly to new users.

I've made a new version of this to reflect newer information. I was unable to find the "upload new version" link even though my account is well over 4 days old (I had not previously uploaded, account age was the issue, which I confirmed by forming an upload link manually). Would someone rename my upload? Would someone also consider putting a message in place of the missing "upload new version" link so the user knows why they can't upload a new version and what actions they can take? Took me forever to figure it out. Thanks! Coder0xff2 (talk)

The issue is that you were trying to upload a new version to the English Wikipedia, rather than Wikimedia Commons (where the image is actually located). Going to the file page on commons will allow you to upload a new version. You are right, though, in that it should be easier to reupload a file onto commons from another wiki. Even a link to the commons page stating "click here to reupload" would be good, though I'm not sure how this could be done. Ajraddatz (talk) 04:06, 7 November 2011 (UTC)

Don't understand this...

I am finding ppt. illustrations for a university online course,and would like to use an illustration from this: "Scanned from David Brainerd, the apostle to the North American Indians: Page, Jesse, 1891."

It has a red mark with the wording: "This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years. (!) You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States."

Why the last line, since things published after 1923 are in pd in US? Or if not, why doesn't it just give you the tag??? Sometimes it is not obvious as to why it would be in PD in US. Why don't they just say it is or isn't??? Very frustrating. Thanks for clearing this up. Jenny T.

Hi,

The answers are included in your questions. :) You ask "Why don't they just say it is or isn't" [in the public domain in the United States?]. That's the point of the line which asks the uploader to "include a United States public domain tag...": the intention of that line is to remind the uploader to include a United States public domain tag. Because if the uploader forgets to include such a tag, it can confuse the reusers. For example, in this particular case (after some research, I'm guessing you refer to File:David Brainerd on horseback.jpg), the uploader should have included a tag to specify the copyright status of the work in the U.S., but he neglected to include such a tag. Hence your question. The uploader should have added the template PD-1923 to specify the copyright status in the U.S. However, despite this negligence from the uploader, you did conclude correctly about the U.S. status, from the available information (publication before 1923). When you see that some useful information (description, author identification, copyright status template, etc.) is missing from the description page of a file on Commons, you can add this information. For example, on the description page of this image, you can add the template PD-1923, to specify the copyright status in the U.S. Finally, yes, the line "You must also include a United States public domain tag...", in the template, is poorly worded and confusing because, unlike the rest of the template, this line is not adressed to "you", the potential reuser, but this line is adressed to the person who uploads a file to Commons. -- Asclepias (talk) 16:05, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Lucas Samaras

Can I use these images of Lucas Samaras[3] work from flickr? [4] and [5]. I'm not the owner of them.--Geovagrand (talk) 23:55, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

• Not without his permission (see COM:OTRS. They are his copyrighted work; the fact that someone else may have uploaded them without his permission doesn't change that. And it is not particularly likely that you would be able to get that permission. So it pretty much comes down to "no". - Jmabel ! talk 00:10, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks Jmabel for your response. I want to send him a declaration of consent in his e-mail but I think is better to write a small letter explaining him that I would like to use his pictures on a wikipedia article and the available license used to, But I'm not very fluent in English. Is there a model letter except of course the COM:OTRS that I can use it?--Geovagrand (talk) 05:09, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

• I'm not aware of any model letter other than the one in OTRS. Do note, though, that any release is not specific to Wikipedia: the whole point of a free license is that anyone can use it. - Jmabel ! talk 05:13, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

costumbres de cerro de pasco

COSTUMBRES: La Tantawawa: Muchas fiestas costumbristas están llenas de colorido . Así en Cerro de Pasco y Huariaca existe la costumbre de hacer “guaguas”de haría en forma de muñecas, llamas y palomas. Esta es una costumbre popular en la fiesta de Todos los Santos. La venta se realiza en lugares especiales, . Estos muñecos, son un atractivo para los niños y muchas veces hasta los adultos compran para coleccionarlos. La concepción de este muñeco es mágico-religiosa, pues está basada en que las guaguas representan la inmortalidad de las “almas”. Esta costumbre, se relaciona con la “mesada”, que consiste en poner diversos tipos de potajes en la noche de Todos los Santos, con la creencia de que las almas de los de los seres queridos que fallecieron, visitan su casa y degustan parte de esos potajes, y que en muchas ocasiones, hasta se los comen todos los potajes. Este suceso lo hacen casi todas las familias lugareñas. Hay que tomar en cuenta que, entre los pasqueños existe la clara creencia de que los muertos viven en el más allá y que forman parte de los protectores de los seres que quedaron con vida. La mesada es una forma de agradecimiento por la ayuda que reciben de sus muertos. Danzas: La chunguinada. ( Se baila durante la fiesta de las cruces). Baile viejo Pasacalle cerreño. TRADICIONES: Fiestas patronales: • La fiesta de las Cruces ( Cerro de Pasco). Todo el mes de mayo • El Señor de Exaltación ( Paragsha- Pasco) 14 de setiembre. • Señor de Huancapucro ( Cerro de Pasco). Mes de mayo. • El Niño Jesús ( Vicco-Pasco). 1ro de enero. • El Señor de Áncara Paucartambo-Pasco) . 29 de mayo. • San Juan Bautista ( Huariaca-Pasco). 24 de junio • Señor de Áncara Paucartambo-Pasco) . 29 de mayo

GASTRONOMIA: Dentro de los platos típicos del departamento de Pasco destacan: • Pachamanca • picante de cuy • el caldo de cabeza • arvejas con carne • charquicán y • caldo verde.

Dentro de las bebidas tradicionales del departamento destacan: • El ponche de maca • el caliche y • la chicha de jora.

- Unsigned

• I'd be inclined either just to delete the above (which has nothing to do with this page) or to move it to WikiTravel (assuming there is a Spanish-language WikiTravel, and if we think it's not a copyvio). - Jmabel ! talk 16:08, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

flickr

Hello,

I'd like to transfer several files from flickr.com to commons. Do I have the permission to first download the files and then upload them usually as if they were my own files (I would mention the source)? --SuperZebra (talk) 18:59, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

And what can I do if there is a label "all rights reserved"? --SuperZebra (talk) 19:06, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

I discovered the special page concerning flickr uploads. Forget my question ;) --SuperZebra (talk) 19:10, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Getting permissions updated?

Hello. I sent an email to the permissions email address yesterday. Do you know how long it takes for someone to read it and take action? Also, I'm the one who took the photo of w:Arthur Darvill for the inclusion on his WP page. How do I otherwise list that I give permission since I'm the one who took the photo and uploaded it? Thanks for your help! Hires an editor (talk) 20:31, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

• On your first question, expect a few days, it varies. On the second, I'm not sure what the problem is. If you took & uploaded the photo, and indicated it is your own work, there should be no rights issue. Did someone question it? Since you don't link the image, it's hard to know just what you are talking about. - Jmabel ! talk 01:33, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Loging in with account on Wikipedia

I read the help article that says: "If you already have an account on another Wikimedia project, for example at Wikipedia, then you should be logged in Commons automatically after logging in your home wiki". I am currently logged into Wikipedia, but not logged in here (Wikimedia Commons). When I try to log in here using my user name for Wikipedia ("Vince Bly"), I receive a message that there is no user named Vince Bly.

Please let me know what I have to do to be logged in here based on my Wikipedia account. If that is not possible for some reason, can I create a new account here using the same user name and password I use at Wikipedia?

Thanks for your time.

Vince Bly (email: Vince.Bly@NASA.gov) 74.96.63.229 07:21, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Welcome on Commons. You have an account on en.wikipedia. But not a "SUL"-account. I recommend using en:Special:MergeAccount, SUL-help. Sincerely -- RE rillke questions? 16:48, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Uploading image (previously removed) image

On De Zuid Limburgse Golf- en Countryclub Wittem page I had uploaded two images. They have been removed. I have at long last got the permissions for both files. I have tried to reload the images with the permissions but it does not seem to be possible. How do I proceed now? — Preceding unsigned comment added by RoelHans (talk • contribs) 14:18, 10. November 2011‎ (UTC)

Go to COM:UR and ask for undeletion providing the ticket-number. If you forgot which name you choose for your files, look in your upload log, please. -- RE rillke questions? 16:16, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Photo I uploaded to the Commons

I have three questions about the photo I just uploaded to the Wikimedia Commons. It's titled Holocaust Memorial Jewish Musseum Milwaukee1.jpg

First, how do I correct the misspelled word Musseum?

My second question is: Am I prohibited from using a photo of a copy righted public sculpture in galleries and thumbnails across Wikipedia? A friend told me that images have to be low resolution, uploaded to Wikipedia in connection with an article (not Wikimedia Commons), and include a fair use rationale. When I read the multiple pages in Wikipedia and Wikimedia I find conflicting information about uploading images I myself took.

Third, should I take down this image I uploaded?

Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Citizn65

You can use the {{Rename}} template to flag the file for renaming; see COM:RENAME. However, your friend was correct, that a photo of a copyrighted sculpture cannot be uploaded here. Powers (talk) 15:44, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi,

Q1: Insert the template {{Rename}} on the description page of the file. Mention the correct name as the parameter. See the template documentation for the detailed instructions. However, in the case of this image, see Q3 below.

Q2a: It is true that you can't upload it to Commons (i.e. here).

Q2b: For information about the particular policies of a Wikipedia project, please see the policy pages directly on the project in question. For help specifically about the policy of the English-language Wikipedia, you can ask at en:Wikipedia:Media copyright questions.

Q3: Yes, probably. You can use the template {{Speedydelete}} to request the deletion.

-- Asclepias (talk) 15:52, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi Citizn65.

Correcting the spelling is easy - you can tag the image with {{rename| what you want it renamed to | reason why}} and an admin will move it if they agree. I've done this one myself.

As regards your second question, that's a bit more tricky. The problem here is something called Freedom of Panorama, which says that things which are in public are not eligible for copyright. However, exactly what this applies to varies from country to country. In France for instance, there is no freedom of panorama at all, so you could not take a photo of a modern building and upload it here. However, even there there are exceptions - generally some things are considered ineligible for copyright due to being purely utilitarian, or simple enough.

In the United States, there is no freedom of panorama for sculpture, but there is for buildings, so this image should probably be deleted. However, it's a fairly simple thing, so I have nominated it for deletion so that people can discuss it rather than just deleting it myself. Ths discussion page is here.

I hope this helps. I'm afraid that copyright is an annoyingly complex thing, and plenty of people, myself included, get tripped up by it. -mattbuck (Talk) 16:11, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

talk to a particular user

Hi I would like to talk to a particular user however being new to Wikipedia I don't know how. I've opened their page but don't know where to go to talk to them. Thanks for your help --Mona MG (talk) 11:25, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Just click on the Add topic - tab. Then use a descriptive heading and write... then click save. Done. If you are on the userpage, you have to click on the Discussion-tab before. -- RE rillke questions? 16:32, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Rillke is assuming that you are on their user talk/discussion page, not their user page as such. Comments should be left on someone's "user talk" page, not their "user" page. - Jmabel ! talk 01:40, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Part of some image is copyrighted, why it can be uploaded here?

For example, File:Podium.Spain.09.jpg, there are F1 logo and Red Bull logo as a part of it which is copyrighted. Why it can be licensed under CC? --Daris Bayliss (talk) 09:05, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

In Germany we would call it "Unwesentliches Beiwerk". You may have a look at Commons:De minimis. -- RE rillke questions? 09:13, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

The F1-logo is additionally possibly {{PD-shape}} or {{PD-Textlogo}}. -- RE rillke questions? 09:17, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Publically available fax image

The article in Weatherfax (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weatherfax) has a truly poor image of a weatherfax. I was considering uploading a cleaner better looking version, however, how does this sit with copyright? The image is broadcast for public use by HF radio, does this therefore mean it is acceptable to publish an example of an old publically broadcast synoptic chart or not?

• Unfortunately they are copyrighted. You may only upload a radio FAX document/chart originating from NOAA or USCG; these are US federal agencies and their weather charts are public domain. Although I have radio FAX reception facilities, at my location I cannot receive stateside stations in good enough quality for illustrating an article. SV1XV (talk) 14:44, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Deleting duplicates in a file

I made a huge blunder on File:Le Bal des Ardents.jpg and seem to have uploaded more versions than necessary. Is it possible to delete all the versions except the first one and the most recent? Am hoping to upload a high res version, but would first like to clean this mess. Thanks. Truthkeeper88 (talk) 17:43, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Well, nothing really gets deleted here on Commons. It just gets hidden for normal users and will not save any disk-space. So the only thing we can do is cleaning up the version history by hiding a few of the versions if that is what you want. -- Cecil (talk) 18:40, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Um, I wouldn't mind. I think I ran into server lag-time or something and hit upload twice resulting in dupes, and when I tried to revert I added another, so it's too many. Only the most recent and the first are necessary, imo. Though I can leave it if that's not untypical. Truthkeeper88 (talk) 02:07, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Image from http://memory.loc.gov

I uploaded File:S069908.jpg from http://memory.loc.gov/ndlpcoop/ichicdn/s0699/s069908.jpg which has rights listed at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ammemrr.pl?title=%3Ca%20href%3d%22%2fammem%2fndlpcoop%2fichihtml%2fcdnhome.html%22%3EPhotographs%20from%20the%20Chicago%20Daily%20News,%201902-1933%3C%2fa%3E&coll=cdn&div=&agg=ichicdn&default=ammem&dir=ammem How would I tag the licensing for this file? Thanks. Bagumba (talk) 00:16, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Most likely this file is not suitable for Commons. We do not host copyrighted materials on a "fair use" basis. We are a repository for free-licensed and public domain materials. - Jmabel ! talk 01:43, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

We need a link to the page where this image comes from. If it were published, it would now be PD. If it's not published, it's 120 years from creation (or life+70 if we can find the author).--Prosfilaes (talk) 03:26, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Prosfilaes, what's your basis for "If it were published, it would now be PD"? The image is from 1930. If it were published and the copyright had been correctly renewed, it would still be copyrighted. Given that it is from the Chicago Daily News, it was certainly published and quite likely renewed. - Jmabel ! talk 06:30, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

It's not certainly published; there's negatives in the collection that were never used in print. (The archive also shows as an example a negative, a full-body and environment shot, that was just published as a head shot; I don't know how that works, legally.) But if it was published, the copyright renewals have been searched, and no newspaper outside New York renewed prior to the end of WWII.--Prosfilaes (talk) 07:54, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Huh. Good to know. Is there a centralized summary of things like that anywhere to spare people searching for renewal information one by one? - Jmabel ! talk 16:36, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Not really, but that was done by John Mark Ockerbloom who has a list of first renewals of periodicals.--Prosfilaes (talk) 23:17, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Prosfilaes: The image came from http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?cdn:12:./temp/~ammem_Rn9z::@@@mdb=mcc,gottscho,detr,nfor,wpa,aap,cwar,bbpix,cowellbib,calbkbib,consrvbib,bdsbib,dag,fsaall,gmd,pan,vv,presp,varstg,suffrg,nawbib,horyd,wtc,toddbib,mgw,ncr,ngp,musdibib,hlaw,papr,lhbumbib,rbpebib,lbcoll,alad,hh,aaodyssey,magbell,bbc,dcm,raelbib,runyon,dukesm,lomaxbib,mtj,gottlieb,aep,qlt,coolbib,fpnas,aasm,denn,relpet,amss,aaeo,mff,afc911bib,mjm,mnwp,rbcmillerbib,molden,ww2map,mfdipbib,afcnyebib,klpmap,hawp,omhbib,rbaapcbib,mal,ncpsbib,ncpm,lhbprbib,ftvbib,afcreed,aipn,cwband,flwpabib,wpapos,cmns,psbib,pin,coplandbib,cola,tccc,curt,mharendt,lhbcbbib,eaa,haybib,mesnbib,fine,cwnyhs,svybib,mmorse,afcwwgbib,mymhiwebib,uncall,afcwip,mtaft,manz,llstbib,fawbib,berl,fmuever,cdn,upboverbib,mussm,cic,afcpearl,awh,awhbib,sgp,wright,lhbtnbib,afcesnbib,hurstonbib,mreynoldsbib,spaldingbib,sgproto,scsmbib,afccalbib,mamcol Bagumba (talk) 20:21, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Try http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.ndlpcoop/ichicdn.s069908 . All that page tells us is that it may have been published, so it may be out of copyright, but we'd need to show that it was.--Prosfilaes (talk) 23:17, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Photo not viewable?

I'm having trouble trying to view File:USNS_Henry_J._Kaiser_(T-AO-187).jpg - whenever I click on it, it loads as File:USNS Henry J. Kaiser T-AO-187 .jpg and says "No file by this name exists, but you can upload it.", sometimes with my browser (FireFox, with NoScript) saying "NoScript filtered a potential cross-site scripting (XSS attempt from [6]." (And yes, I have both wikipedia.org and wikipedia.org set to "allow"). The image displays just fine on pages and in categories - but trying to view it directly, well, something's screwy here. - The Bushranger (talk) 08:58, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Works for me. I added a thumbnail on the right. --  Docu  at 10:59, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

I could see the thumbnails and such just fine, but not the image page. But now thats working too. Dang cybergnomes! - The Bushranger (talk) 00:50, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Transfers from enwiki

Hi - I've just started transferring from enwiki for the first time. I've uploaded the image File:Blue computer cooling fan.jpg but the "GFDL-user-en-with-disclaimers" template appears not to have substituted the original uploader's username, it just says "[[:en:User:{{{1}}}|{{{1}}}]]". If anybody could help me out I'd be grateful. Thanks. Mato (talk) 01:00, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

• License attributions fixed. Very frustrating that each licensing template has its own way to do this. Now could you be so good as to add some relevant categories to the image you uploaded? - Jmabel ! talk 01:34, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for that, have taken note for future reference. Realised I was forgetting cats have been adding from now on. Thanks. Mato (talk) 01:47, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Object doesn't support this property or method

Uploading YuleMarbleQuarrySep1990.jpg results in the below error in "Release Rights" when the update command button in lower right is clicked. I did do back to the TIFF and recreated the jpeg. Also saved as pdf but with the same error. I have uploaded jpeg and pdf prior to and after the above error.

User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.4506.2152; .NET CLR 3.5.30729) Timestamp: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:13:47 UTC

Message: Object doesn't support this property or method Line: 106 Char: 386 Code: 0 URI: http://bits.wikimedia.org/commons.wikimedia.org/load.php?debug=false&lang=en&modules=ext.uploadWizard&skin=vector&version=20111113T022858Z&*

Please move your comment to the end of Commons:Upload Wizard feedback. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 03:36, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

{{PD-NL-water transport sign}}

Made a mess of Category:Diagrams of water transport signs of the Netherlands transferring the images to Category:Diagrams of water transport signs in the Netherlands by Cat-a-lot, because the files didn't have a category but {{PD-NL-water transport sign}}. Unfortunalely I haven't learned to work with this kind of categorising. Can somebody be of help via corecting this mess? --Stunteltje (talk) 10:08, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

 Done [7]. Templates shouldn't be used to add such topical categories.

By adding them into Category:Diagrams of water transport signs in the Netherlands, you already did the first part to fix this. --  Docu  at 12:27, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

File type

Hi, how can i upload files that are .AVI, .mov, .mv4, .mp3 and so on? How would you recommend i convert them? I had some pretty good picture i tried to upload and the response was "cannot accept this file type"… Thanks! - Benzband (talk) 18:27, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Those file types are all videos, which are not supported on Wikimedia Commons. To be completely honest I'm not sure how you could convert them - if you had an audio file with .mp3, you could convert it to .ogg and upload it then. Ajraddatz (talk) 22:52, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Please see Commons:Video and Help:Converting video, also see Commons:File types to learn about acceptable file types.  ■ MMXX  ^talk 23:04, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for the help! i'll try the Simple Theora Encoder ;) - Benzband (talk) 16:43, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

Well, that didn't work but Firefogg did after i upgraded fox. Cheers, - Benzband (talk) 18:04, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

100 MB limit

Sorry, now in English. So i want to upload a new version of File:Karte nrw le coq.jpg . Its an old map, its about 95x105 cm large so 100MB is not really much if you want to be able to read the map later (for example see the actual file). Now ive got my hands on a A0 scanner and scanned the new version that is really nice and readable BUT i cant get it smaller than 104 MB, so it dont pass the 100 MB limit. PEOPLE HELP !

Guten Tag ! Ich will eine Neue Version der Datei "Karte nrw le coq.jpg" hochladen, und die ist Grösser als 100 MB (knapp 105 MB um genau zu sein). Das ist ein Scan einer 200 Jahre alten Karte die im Original 95x109 cm ist (grösser als A0 Format). Bei den Abmessungen liefern 100 MB eine Qualität die nicht wirklich lesbar ist (man betrachte nur die Aktuelle version, die ist knapp 95 MB). Es ist mir gelungen die in einer wirklich guter, benutzbarer Qualität einzuscannen, aber auf weniger als 104 MB kriege ich sie auf gar keinen Fall. HILFE !

Sheepdog85 (talk) 14:39, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Da kann ich dir nur das empfehlen: Commons:Help_desk/Archive/2011/06#Max_file_size_limit.. Und das wird den Devs furchtbar auf die Nerven gehen. Sorry! -- RE rillke questions? 14:49, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Waere es nicht moeglich, einfach die Datei in zwei Stuecke zu teilen? Ist nicht ideal, aber wenigstens geht das ohne Devs. Und ausserdem hilft dass den Nutzern, denn sie koennen von der kleineren Datei sehen, welche Haelfte sie brauchen um die Details zu sehen, und koennen so vielleicht mit einer Haelfte auskommen (=weniger Datenfluss). Rd232 (talk) 14:58, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

I can't find any guidance on this subject (100MB limit) anywhere... Anyway, I've created {{Split file}} to help with this. Rd232 (talk) 16:27, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Also created Commons:Maximum file size as basic guidance. Rd232 (talk) 03:06, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Typically, you should be able to get the file smaller by saving it as a slightly lower quality JPEG. - Jmabel ! talk 17:53, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

Sheepdog85 said (more clearly in German) that lower jpeg quality, such as to get below 100mb, makes the quality of small details in the image unacceptably poor. Rd232 (talk) 21:08, 12 November 2011 (UTC)

1935 British Newspaper

Hi all - freely admitting that this is probably not the ideal place to ask, and, surely covered at length elsewhere - but where would a scan/photograph of a page of a defunct newspaper from the UK from 1935 sit in terms of licencing? So for clarity's sake it would be a copy of 76 year old newspaper which is no longer in print. Jza84 (talk) 22:52, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

In print is always irrelevant. It's clearly copyrighted in the US, since it's a non-US work first published between 1923-2002, so it shouldn't be uploaded.--Prosfilaes (talk) 23:44, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

SQL database errors

I encountered some SQL database errors while trying to upload a couple of files, namely File:Darrin McGillis.jpg and File:DarrenRoberts.jpeg resulting in multiple versions uploading. Is it possible to fix this? Mato (talk) 00:00, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

• Having extra versions in the history is totally harmless & if we "deleted" them all it would do is hide the history of multiple uploads: it doesn't actually save any space on the server. So don't worry about it. - Jmabel ! talk 01:31, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Ah ok thanks again. Mato (talk) 03:05, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Image of Commissioned Portrait challenged as copyright violation

I have been working on a Wikipedia article about artist David Fairrington. Among Mr. Fairrington's works are portraits of the casts of several television shows that were commission by ABC/The Disney Company including the casts of Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Scrubs and Legend of the Seeker. Mr. Fairrington provided images of these works that have been published under Creative Commons Attribution Sharealike. Under US copyright law, the copyright for commissioned works is retained by the artist if they have not officially signed away those rights to the person or organization commissioning those works. Mr. Fairrington assured me that he has not signed away his copyright and has obtained model releases for all subjects of his portraits. However, another Commons editor has removed the images for "possible" copyright violation. When a commons editor has taken all steps necessary to ensure that copyright has not been violated, how do we proceed when other editors without any knowledge of the actual copyright policy or circumstances surrounding the donation of particular images removes the images that are being used to illustrate a Wikipedia article? Mharrsch (talk) 15:00, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

In general, you'd go to Commons:Undeletion requests and ask for the undeletion of the images. Or, you'd talk directly to the deleting admin and ask him to undelete them and then nominate them for regular deletion, so that the matter can be discussed at COM:DEL. However, at least File:Grey's Anatomy Cast by David Fairrington.jpg is clearly a derivative work of this publicity photo, which is © 2004 ABC, INC. according to its IPTC data and was taken by Bob D'Amico of ABC. So it's not as clear-cut as it might seem. Lupo 15:19, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

WP is so confusing!

I have a simple need, to add a Category and a Comment to an image file I just uploaded (but forgot to add when uploading). How to do? An instruction page told me I could update the "File Description page" from a user list of my uploaded files, but when I went there, there was no telling how to update that page! The "Hot-gadget" and "Cats-a-lot" s/w seem overkill and I can't tell if they would do it either. I tried updating the file thinking the update s/w would give me a chance to supply those missing fields, but nope! So confusing. Ihardlythinkso (talk) 12:28, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

It's a wiki. Just go to your image (e.g. File:My Camelot init config graphic.png) and click edit. Then add category [[Category:name of the category]]. Or edit the description: |description={{en|1=Camelot starting position}} → |description={{en|1=Camelot starting position; some more words}}. Then click save. Done.

Yes it is confusing and I regret that we do not have an introductory video. I hope someone will make one. Regards -- RE rillke questions? 13:57, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Thx, the light is slowly coming on ... (There wasn't an "Edit" option on WP, where I was looking.) The "Comment" field still shows (None), apparently there isn't a way to access that field directly, since Template:Information doesn't support a 'Comment=' parm!? Again, thank u. Ihardlythinkso (talk) 05:07, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

File move please? Says I'm too new.

Hi I just uploaded this could someone move it to here? Thanks. Badanedwa (talk) 17:48, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

I believe a move would be the wrong approach. This should be done by uploading the new SVG to the latter page as an updated image (which I believe you can do). A [deletion and] move would destroy the history of File:Map-of-US-state-cannabis-laws.svg, which seems undesirable. - Jmabel ! talk 15:54, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Cicero, Tullia Zoe and Cato the Younger (Dogs) Schnauzers

Hi -- I give Wikipedia permission to use the image of Cicero, Tullia-Zoe and Cato the Younger (Schnauzers) listed under Dogs. They are my dogs and I took their picture on September 5, 2011. I wanted to create my own award for a helpful user and here it is. The cute and adorable award for diligence. Please contact me if you need to verify -- thank you, regards, Migdiachinea (user) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Migdiachinea (talk • contribs) 21:12, 16 November 2011‎ (UTC)

In order for Wikimedia Commons to host the file, you need to allow anyone (not just Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia) the right to use it for any commercial or non-commercial purpose in modified or unmodified form. You need to select a license that grants those rights. You then need to edit the file description's licensing section and add the template for the license that you have chosen to it by typing something like {{Cc-by-sa-3.0}}. —LX (talk, contribs) 23:36, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Author/Subject

I see at File:Drted&Norris.jpg that one of the subjects of the image is also, apparently, the author. Although it is technologically possible, is it probable? Or does the author section refer to the owner of copyright rather than the literal author? Thanks ClaretAsh (talk) 23:32, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

It seems unlikely. The author field should list the author. It should not list the copyright holder unless they are one and the same (which they usually are). The uploader claims that information about the licensing has been sent to OTRS. Before marking that information as verified, I would expect the OTRS volunteer who processes the permission to make sure it's clear who the author is, who the copyright holder is, and the reasons for any differences between those. —LX (talk, contribs) 23:50, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

SVG image needs fixing

File:Coord XYZ.svg is wrong. The pink x and blue y need to be exchanged. It would be nice if someone with SVG skills could edit the image since it's used in several articles (and wikis). --WakiMiko (talk) 00:30, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

 Done. I can recommend COM:GL/I for these cases. If you still see the old image, please

Please purge your browser’s cache or enable JavaScript in your Browser's settings. (You only need to do it once.)

Operating system Browser	Microsoft Windows or Linux	macOS
Internet Explorer	Press Ctrl+F5
Mozilla Firefox	Hold down ⇧ Shift while clicking Reload (or press Ctrl+F5 or Ctrl+⇧ Shift+R)	Press ⌘ Cmd+R (reload page) or ⌘ Cmd+⇧ Shift+R (reload page and rewrite cache)
Opera	Press Ctrl+F5 or ⇧ Shift+F5
Konqueror
Apple Safari	Hold down ⇧ Shift+Alt while clicking Reload
	Press Ctrl+R	Press ⌘ Cmd+⌥ Option+E (clear browser cache) or ⌘ Cmd+R (update)
Chrome	Press Ctrl+F5 or ⇧ Shift+F5 or hold down ⇧ Shift while clicking Reload	Press ⌘ Cmd+F5 or ⇧ Shift+F5 or hold down ⇧ Shift while clicking Reload

. -- RE rillke questions? 10:56, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

Uploading an Image.

I have a non-graphic cartoon image of a cow pointing out the different parts used for food I would like to upload. There is text above the image saying "Cuts of Beef" and below it the name of the site where I got the image. Could I add that image and source it to the website I found? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wikidirectory (talk • contribs)

That sounds like a generally useful image to have, but whether you can use it here depends primarily on the copyright status of the image. Does the website you got it from say that the image is public domain or licensed under a free license such as Creative Commons? If so, I'd think you're good to go; if no, you can't upload it here. --Philosopher ^{Let us reason together.} 14:53, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

Could you link to the website so we can better advise you? --Kramer Associates (talk) 18:22, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

Images and Creative Commons

Are images with no license considered part of a free license under creative commons? I have an image that is not copyrighted or licensed under a free license such as Creative Commons. I would like use it in an article, but I'm not sure if a may use it. Creative Commons is not a license, but just a handy reference for the legal code (the full license).

See Commons:Licensing. If by "not copyrighted" you mean Public Domain, you can upload it with the proper PD tag. If you mean "I don't see any copyright notice on it", unless you can show it's public domain, it's copyrighted. Creative Commons licenses only apply if the copyright holder licenses the work with them. --Kramer Associates (talk) 18:13, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

New version of a picture

Hi. I uploaded a new version of this file, but now I keep seeing the old version. When I upload a new version again I see alwais te old version, but if I click on the old thumbnail now I see the new version! What's the problem? Rupertsciamenna (talk) 18:45, 13 November 2011 (UTC)

Should be fixed now. I guess it was this problem: Commons:Village_pump#Pissed_off_.28updating_the_thumbnails_after_a_new_file_version_upload.29 Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 16:41, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Choosing a category

Hi, First of all, I am a complete newbie. I want to upload a map of an airport and its surrounding. Uploading is no problem, until I come to the point where I have to define a category. I understand that there are thousands of categories. My problem is: how to find the suitable category? I have read some articles on Wikipedia about the categories and how to search (can't find it anymore), but strangely this doesn't help me. I don't know where to start and I soon get lost in all kinds of categories I don't need. There's a tool as well to search a category, but I'm not sure how it works. And: where can I find the category an image I find in an article on Wikipedia is in? Harbosma (talk) 11:41, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

For a map of an airport, try Category:Maps and Category:Airports.

For most categories, following each "by" subcategories should give you something useful. For airports, it's likely to be just the category for a specific airport you will find (or need to create). --  Docu  at 11:46, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

By the way, if you want more specific help, it's better to ask a more specific question. For example, it would have been useful here to say what airport.

Question: did you make the map yourself? Or is it otherwise public domain or free-licensed? If not, it doesn't belong on Commons. You can't just take anything you find on the web and upload it here.

Also, you ask "where can I find the category an image I find in an article on Wikipedia is in?" That is so ungrammatical I can't even tell for sure what you are asking. If you are asking "When I find an image in an article on Wikipedia, how can I tell what Commons categories the image is in?" (which is what I think you are asking, but I could be wrong):

1. Click on the image in Wikipedia to get to an image page on Wikipedia.
2. In the text under that image, it will indicate that the image came from Commons, and give you a link to the Commons file page for that image. Click that link.
3. Look at the bottom of the Commons file page for a list of categories for that image.

- Jmabel ! talk 16:00, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

See also Commons:Categories for help. :-) Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 16:37, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

tania

File:Coro y Orquesta "Ecos en el Desierto" — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tania Silveyra15 (talk • contribs) 04:28, 18 November 2011‎ (UTC)

Was that a question? —LX (talk, contribs) 15:19, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Help With Copyright Tag

I need help with the copyright tag for: Letter from Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal, to Merwyn Bly.jpg which I submitted on November 17th. I uploaded with the wizard and apparently did not fill in the copyright tag section. As it is clearly a work produced by the US government, from what I've read here, it is in the public domain. In searching through the various licenses, it seems that {{PD-USGov-Military-Navy}} may be the correct tag.

As I am a new user, I do not want to risk the entry by adding the wrong tag or using the wrong syntax in trying to edit the entry. At present, the entry includes a warning banner that it may be deleted within 7 days. Please advise me how best to proceed.

Thank you, Vince Bly Vince Bly (talk) 08:15, 18 November 2011 (UTC) tl| inserted to collapse the copyright tag --Saibo (Δ) 16:35, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Yes, that's the right tag. I've added it to the licensing section. Thank you for your contribution! —LX (talk, contribs) 15:27, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

help

how can i upload a tabular column — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kettavan dinesh (talk • contribs) 09:15, 18 November 2011‎ (UTC)

I'm not sure I understand the question correctly, but if by "tabular column" you mean a textual and/or numerical table formatted with tab characters, you should convert it to wiki table syntax and include it directly on the project where you want to use it, rather than uploading a file of some sort to Commons. If that's not what you mean, please clarify the question. —LX (talk, contribs) 15:37, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Eline_rocka.jpg / Eline.jpg

Hi,

I'm trying to upload the file Eline_rocka.jpg for the "Eline la Croix" page on the Dutch wikipedia. Now it gets deleted every time! I got permission from the subject herself to upload it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Flok (talk • contribs) 15:06, 19 November 2011‎ (UTC)

If a file gets deleted, it's typically for a reason, so please don't just upload it again, hoping that it will slip by unnoticed the second time. Doing so repeatedly is likely to get you blocked. You can request undeletion at Commons:Undeletion requests. (Read the instructions on that page.)

Commons only accepts content that is in the public domain or that is published under a license that allows anyone to use it for any commercial or noncommercial purpose in modified or unmodified form. Only the copyright holder can release their work into the public domain or issue a free license. The copyright holder is not the subject of the photo, but the photographer.

So you need to obtain permission from the copyright holder (rather than the subject). Read the instructions on your user talk page and feel free to ask if you have any questions after doing so. —LX (talk, contribs) 16:15, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

Allemanseindje: name in English and other languages

???????

Have to categorise this piece of very usefull equipment, in Dutch named: Allemanseindje. Unfortunately my big Van Dale dictionary doesn't know this tool. Can native speakers help me with translations in other languages? --Stunteltje (talk) 11:17, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

(Not a native speaker, but) the rope attached to a bell's clapper is usually called "bell rope" in English. Much less imaginative than in Dutch. :) —LX (talk, contribs) 17:54, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

sv:Fockedrevsudd, klockkläppstjärt, klockstropp. /Pieter Kuiper (talk) 18:28, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

Images: logos and photos of places that don't exist anymore

I've been reading and unsuccessfully trying to wrap my head around the tangle of copyright vs. free usage thing for a couple of hours now and I'm no closer to understanding than when I started, so I'm here to ask for some clarification.

What exactly ARE the rules regarding company logos? The upload wizard very specifically points to them as an example of what is not allowed to be uploaded--yet you see logos old and new on pretty much any given corporation's article page. Same thing with album covers--listed as restricted, but virtually every album page you go to has a cover regardless of how new it is.

To what I'm specifically looking to do though.. I've been doing a lot of editing on a page for a radio station for a while now, but it needs more images. I've found images of old logos that the station used in the 70s/80s, but have not been used for some time. Obviously these are not past the 70-year mark, but good luck finding them on anything anywhere other than GIS.

On the same article, I would like to add a photo of the old studio which doesn't exist anymore. There's one photo in particular that's floating around that would be nice to use--though none of the sites I've seen it on list where it came from or who it belongs to. This one I understand could be problematic.

So please, Wiki community, help me out here. My brain hurts. DigiFluid (talk) 22:51, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Some logotypes are too simple to be protected by copyright and may be hosted here on Wikimedia Commons. Many are protected by copyright and are non-free. Most album covers are protected by copyright and are non-free. Non-free content is not permitted here on Commons. If you find non-free images in article on Wikipedia, they are probably hosted locally on that project – not here on Commons. If you click on the images, the file description will explain this. —LX (talk, contribs) 23:24, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Go to Wikipedia and click Upload file in the left hand sidebar. It will list instructions on how to upload non-free images like the sort you're describing directly to Wikipedia (not to Wikimedia Commons). It is a somewhat involved process. Dcoetzee (talk) 22:09, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

Are political badges/buttons acceptable for Wikimedia Commons?

I have taken photographs of my small collection of political badges that I would like to add to the Commons if possible. A few of them are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannybirchall/sets/72157628070304023/with/6371785521/

and I'm wondering what conditions might givern their addition to the Commons, beyond the release of my own rights in the photographic images themselves into the public domain.

This entry for a CND badge suggests that a public domain logo on a badge is acceptable http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cnd_button.JPG

The entry for this badge suggests that "campaign material produced before 1978" is acceptable http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anita_Bryant_Sucks_Oranges_button.jpg

whereas this badge postdates 1978 and is included http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nancybutton.jpg

Some of my own badges have minimal copyrightable/trademarkable content, for eg this badge

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannybirchall/6371780069/in/set-72157628070304023

could copyright exist in the slogan/typography? If so, its owner would be nearly impossible to trace. Would the badge be disbarred from the Commons anyway on grounds of being 'in' copyright?

I suspect that I'll have to treat the badges on a case-by-case basis, but any rules of thumb/indications of precedent would be much appreciated. —BirchallDanny

The same rules apply as to any type of artwork. If it's too simple for a copyright (e.g., just text or simple shapes), then the artwork is {{PD-ineligible}}. If the button was created and distributed before 1923 in the U.S., it's {{PD-1923}}. If it was created and distributed before 1978 without a copyright notice, then it's {{PD-US-no notice}}. Anything else is likely still copyrighted. In all cases, you would also need to provide a license for your photography work (or release your photography into the public domain). Powers (talk) 18:29, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you! I've uploaded one using the upload wizard -- but the wizard doesn't provide the means to license my own photography as well. Should I add this manually? —BirchallDanny

Your images on Flickr are currently set to a noncommercial license. This is unacceptable for Commons. You'll have to modify these images to a license like CC-BY-SA that allows commercial use. Then, provided the original work is not copyrighted (see LtPowers' notes above), they can be uploaded using flickr2commons. Dcoetzee (talk) 18:50, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Dupes in wikipedia

Hi, is there any tool to identify dupes in local wikipedias of commons pictures ? We want to identify all pictures uploaded in Wikipedia Arabic that exist now on commons. Thank you a lot. --Helmoony (talk) 12:15, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Any Help ? --Helmoony (talk) 06:05, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

I don't know for sure, but I think the English Wikipedia does it manually. See w:en:Category:Wikipedia files on Wikimedia Commons. --Philosopher ^{Let us reason together.} 23:36, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

There is http://toolserver.org/~multichill/nowcommons.php but the tool seems to be broken. User:Zscout370 ^{(Return fire)} 00:28, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

en:wp:Wikipe-tan

Hi there, these two images

File:Wikipe-tan as the tooth fairy with small staff.svg.png

File:Wikipe-tan as the Tooth fairy2.svg.png

were deleted, according to the template left on my talkpage, they were deleted as they are derivative works and the original source is not indicated. They are images of en:wp:Wikipe-tan a well-known charcter in the wikipedia community. The source of the original work is from wikipedia. I can't actually edit to add the source to these images as they have been deleted. File:Wikipe-tan sorceress color.svg is the original work. Penyulap (talk) 16:25, 19 November 2011 (UTC)

 Done Dcoetzee (talk) 18:53, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you. Penyulap (talk) 12:10, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

wrong licence

I uploaded File:(1)_Johnston_Street_Annandale.jpg, but accidentally put the wrong licence on it. It should say the creator has been dead for over 70 years. How do I fix it?

Sardaka (talk) 10:16, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

To change something in a description page, you can edit the page, just like you would edit any other wiki page. However, in this case, you wrote that the author is unknown, so it is not possible to tell for sure if he has been dead for over 70 years. -- Asclepias (talk) 13:32, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

Right. A photographer who was in their 20s in the 1880s could easily have died less than 70 years ago. {{PD-Australia}} would seem to be more appropriate. "Source: unknown" seems very odd too. Surely, Sardaka, you know where you got it from? I found a higher-resolution version on http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=413654. The NSW State Library has slapped a big, scary copyright statement on it, but that's obviously bogus, so I'll go ahead and replace the file with that version. —LX (talk, contribs) 19:28, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

How do I move my uploaded photo to the Wikipedia article I created? - unsigned

• Basically, the syntax is [[File:WHATEVER.XXX|thumb]] with some additional possibilities that get you more control of how it's displayed. See en:Wikipedia:Picture tutorial for all the details. By the way, using a picture in Wikipedia does not constitute moving the picture. - Jmabel ! talk 17:07, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Logo-Einbindung

Hallo zusammen,

ich habe das aktuelle Logo des Senders DASDING eingebaut. Jetzt meldet Wiki, dass ich die Liezenz nicht richtig angegeben habe. Wie kann ich nachträglich die Lizenz ändern?

Viele Grüße

Marc — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mobka74 (talk • contribs) 08:21, 22. Nov. 2011‎ (UTC)

File:Logo des Radiosenders Dasding (seit 2011).jpg besuchen, bearbeiten, {{No license}} entfernen. Habe ich mal hier gemacht. -- RE rillke questions? 10:25, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

File delete

Please delete this file so I can reload it. It appears to be corrupted. Thanks! FieldMarine (talk) 03:45, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Just use the reupload link on the file page. I've done so now (losslessly -based on your encoding- to my knowledge). Works. Do not use progressive jpeg if possible. It takes too much resources to rescale it which results in no thumbnail if a certain (not fixed) size (in pixels) is exceeded.

And don't you know the {{speedy|reason=blablabla}} template? :) However, deletion really wasn't necessary here. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 04:09, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

thanks! FieldMarine (talk) 04:28, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Resolved

I think that this question was replied to adequately based on the supplied information. If you have anything to add or a follow-up question please feel free to replace this box with your comment. This section will be archived after two days. Saibo (Δ) 16:05, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Accor logo

Hi, I noticed the Accor logo has been updated on the French page, and I would like to update it on the English as well. I don't have an autoconfirmed account and I'm having trouble understanding the fair use rules. The logo can be seen here: http://www.accor.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Contenus_Accor/Finance/Pressreleases/2011/EN/110913_pr_nouvelle_strategie_marketing_accor.pdf

Many thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Shipseybrian (talk • contribs) 08:53, 23 November 2011‎ (UTC)

This is the help desk on Wikimedia Commons, the free media file repository. Our fair use rules are quite simple: "Fair use" media files are not allowed on Commons. You may be looking for en:Wikipedia:Non-free content or en:Wikipedia:Media copyright questions on the English Wikipedia project. —LX (talk, contribs) 16:14, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

(Edit conflict)

Hi Shipseybrian, you mean fr:Fichier:Accor_logo.svg, right? Commons does not accept fair use files. You need to upload at the Englisch Wikipedia: Go to en:Wikipedia:Upload and select the correct option "It is the logo..."

I have nominated File:Accor Logotipo.png for deletion. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 16:16, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

My user page has disappeared. Help!

Last night I made some contributions. Today my Id seems to have vanished, though my contributed files still are present. Could anyone please find out what happened to user JonRichfield? Thanks, I hope!

JonRichfield (talk) 07:36, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Are you sure, you created a userpage on Commons. You are active in other projects (Special:CentralAuth/JonRichfield). Are you looking for this page? -- RE rillke questions? 12:03, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

I really, really hope that you are by now used to stupid questions along these lines. I am reminded of the (very old!) story of the desk sergeant at the police station who got an emergency call one Saturday night: "I'm parked at 27th and 19th... I mean 19th and 27th. Someone stole my... my... steering wheel and my dashboard and my pedals." He doubtfully began an incident report. "What is the model of car?" "H-hold the line..." After a minute or two: "Sorry, s'allright. I got int back sheat by mistake." That is how I feel now. I meant to click on "My contributions" to update descriptions etc, and instead... Well, you get the picture... I do exist after all. I never got round to creating a page because I couldn't think of anything interesting to say. Now I can. Sort of...

Oh... And of course, sorry, I also meant to say thanks! JonRichfield (talk) 13:30, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Resolved

I think that this question was replied to adequately based on the supplied information. If you have anything to add or a follow-up question please feel free to replace this box with your comment. This section will be archived after two days. Saibo (Δ) 16:05, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:André Lacroix.jpg

There is no copyright for this picture because this is an old Press Photo made by the Philadelphia Blazers (Defunct team in the WHA) for the 1972-1973 season. http://lowetide.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

--Maginot (talk) 19:12, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi Maginot, thanks for trying to get it right. Your information here are very good - please put such information (like age and source internet address) in the file description next time). Answer: As you can see here Commons:Licensing#United_States if the publication was 1964 until 1977 without a copyright notice it could indeed be in the public domain now (copyright tag: {{PD-US-no notice}}). I am not very knowledgeable about US copyright - I do not know how such publication without © is determined. Do we need any authorized (by the copyright holder?) publication without a © notice? --Saibo (Δ) 22:38, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Delete photo

Someone has put a photo up of me on this thing and i want it removed immediately. I have never given any permission to use it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Brownlunchbag (talk • contribs) 00:49, November 24, 2011‎ (UTC)

Which photo? link please.  ■ MMXX  ^talk 00:50, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

I've nominated the file for deletion, please comment here  ■ MMXX  ^talk 00:56, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Can someone help me post an image from iPad

InsertedImage-small.jpg

This attempt is to upload an image of Merton Russell-Cotes. I have not determined the source, but to say it is found as an ownership, pasted label inside of a copy of dickens David Copperfield dated 1884. I bought the book while in London and found the label inside, please advise how to upload the scanned image. Thanks, Hutz97 (new user / contributor) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hutz97 (talk • contribs) 2011-11-24T13:31:46‎ (UTC)

Hi and welcome to Commons, Hutz97! I am sorry, I do not own an Ipad so I cannot try but I suspect that it could well be that uploading directly from an ipad is not possible currently. You probably have to find a real PC or upload the image somewhere else or email it to someone and ask him/her to upload it here.

However, you want to upload a photograph which you did not take yourself, right? Please respect the copyright of the photographer - see for details here: Commons:Licensing. Usually only very old images can be uploaded if they are not own work. --Saibo (Δ) 22:44, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:Ayuntamiento pedrajas.jpg

--Egonecron (talk) 14:43, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Someone Spanish speaking please rephrase and translate: Is the photo really own work? User mentioned "Bercebus" as author which is not his username. Indeed the image can be found here: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/24799181 sadly with CC-by-nc-sa. See license section of File:Ayuntamiento pedrajas.jpg for a comment by him. Please tell Egonecron how to set the user interface to Spanish. Please explain that only CC-by and CC-by-sa is allowed here. Link: Commons:Sobre las licencias. Here is also a comment to answer in the reply: User_talk:Egonecron#File:Ayuntamiento_pedrajas.jpg. Thanks! :-) --Saibo (Δ) 01:49, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:Austin wright.jpg

Hi I was given permission by David Bocking to use this photograph on the understanding that he was cited as the copyright holder but, as I'm new to Wikipedia, I don't know how I can shown this on the file. This is his reply:

David - that's absolutely fine, and thanks for getting in touch.

Photo copyright David Bocking is fine.

All the best,

David Bocking

Home: 0<- removed for privacy ->

--DavidKF1949 (talk) 15:51, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi David, welcome to Commons and thanks for trying to get it right! Please see Commons:OTRS#If_you_need_to_confirm_permission for the required way for not-own works. We need the filled in "Declaration of consent for all enquiries" from him via E-Mail - no need to quote anything in public. Basically (much simplified) the free licenses (which are required for images on Commons) allow everybody in the world the use of the photo but only if the name of the photographer is attributed). That is different from a permission only for Wikipedia. If you need further help, just reply below. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 23:14, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Adding a category

This is a very basic question…apologies. (I am a new Wikimedia user)

I have uploaded two photos using the Upload Wizard, (this part was easy). I have chosen a Category: Panoramics of Egypt and the photos are now viewable in this Category. I would like to add a second category: Archaeology of Egypt. (The photos are of some rarely visited tombs in the Sinai Peninsula).

I know I have to add Category: Archaeology of Egypt but where should this be added and, most important how do I separate it from Category: Panoramics of Egypt. I have tried putting a | and have tried just putting them one after another and nothing seems to work.

Thank you

It should end up looking like:

[[Category:Archaeology of Egypt]]
[[Category:Panoramics of Egypt]]

Order is not significant. Jmabel ! talk 18:07, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

The upload wizard doesn't have a good place for categories. What you can do is either add them to the description, or edit the page afterwards and add them. Ajraddatz (talk) 01:09, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Snd these particular categories are red because they don't exist. Category:Archaeology in Egypt and Category:Panoramics in Egypt however do exist and should be used rather than create synonymous categories. Jim.henderson (talk) 08:21, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Sorry. I didn't look it up, and since my examples were plain text I didn't notice. - Jmabel ! talk 18:33, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Many thanks to you all, it now works fine.

File:The Ship Christchurch geograph-1763447.jpg

A bot added a message to my talk page regarding the licensing of the above image. I don't understand. This file was created under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license as stated. Has this license been put in the wrong place or something? Initially the image came from the Geograph UK project and all images must be CCL. The special upload page, which I used, had a particular space in which to upload all the information including the license. Can someone take a look and see what I've done wrong? Regards--Ykraps (talk) 08:23, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

You for some reason forgot to include the license in your upload information. And the license of geograph images is not Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic but Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic, I however corrected this. --Martin H. (talk) 09:01, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks--Ykraps (talk) 09:24, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Request for licensing en:file:1984first.jpg as PD-textlogo Template:PD-textlogo

moved to

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Village_pump/Copyright#Request_for_licensing_en:file:1984first.jpg_as_PD-textlogo_Template:PD-textlogo

109.90.72.91 20:20, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:Erdman-Palmore1-197x300.jpg

There is no copyright on this picture but how do I prove it. also could I use his facebook page picture that picture isn't copyrighted either

--Chs337aging (talk) 00:16, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Of course it is copyrighted, I wonder why you think it is not. Also the author you provided - "admin" of some website that reuses random images from the internet - is not the author, the correct author is written at msnbc for example. --Martin H. (talk) 00:21, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Please read Commons:Image_casebook#Internet_images "Works are copyrighted by default; a copyright notice or a © sign is not needed." Do you have other questions? Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 01:24, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

INSERTION OF AN ARTICE

Sir

With due respect i would like to know how can i upload an article written by me without violating any type of copyright ? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sayed j islam (talk • contribs) 2011-11-26T11:50:55‎ (UTC)

Hi and welcome to Commons, Sayed j islam! Commons is about media (images, sound, video) whereas Wikipedia is about articles (text). So I guess you meant to ask at en:WP:Help desk instead. If you question really is about Commons: See Commons:Welcome and please read about Internet images and the intro of COM:L. If you have any questions just reply here below. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 16:01, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:Lob kolomni gedemin.gif

Ru Как мне узать ли поставить лицензии

I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

для моих собственных работ?

Я создатель файлов: File:Lob kolomni gedemin.gif] File:Lob pechat gedimin.gif --Лобачев Владимир (talk) 16:09, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright re: images of ship that no longer exists

Hello community, to create WP articles (in three language versions) about a particular ship, I would like to upload two images. I have an issue getting my mind around the copyright issue here: Background: the ship existed from 1968 to 2004 (broken up then). It was owned by a company that no longer exists, and the same is valid for the yard that built it. I have collected several images (photos) from brochures of these entities (the shipyard and the original owner). How to treat these? Whom would I have to ask for permission if the copyright owner is a legal entity that no longer exists? To be more concrete, here's the two images I would like to upload: Image a) is a three-view (technical diagram) showing the ship from front, top and side. I compiled this (cut, paste, re-arrange) from three individual images that appeared in a 1972 company brochure of the owning company. They are simple graphics, probably themselves derived from shipyard drawings. Image b) is a 1968 black-and-white photo from a shipyard brochure. As mentioned, the yard ceased to exist (was shut down in the late 70's, I believe). Any suggestions? Thanks in advance, --Himbeerkuchen (talk) 06:51, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

It is probably going to be very difficult to get the rights you are seeking. Copyright is just as much in effect whether the business continues to exist or not. You would have to work out what successor entity now owns those rights, and that is who you would have to deal with. Jmabel ! talk 07:45, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

I guess the source country is Germany? That is the problem of verwaiste Werke. A 2D construction drawing may(!) under some circumstances be viewed as non-copyright eligible if it is pure technical (drawn according to some construction norms) and the ship has only usual features. But that is a hard case for which the help desk is the wrong place to ask. I do not have such a case at hand currently. If no one here knows you could ask at COM:VPC or de:WP:UF (for a local dewp upload).
By the way: you do not have a global account currently (de:WP:SUL) - please click on Special:MergeAccount to change this for more ease of use for you. Viele Grüße --Saibo (Δ) 13:59, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks a lot for the quick answers. Actually, the source country for both images is the Netherlands, and I am not fluent in Dutch... this will be fun. I am trying to find out at this moment what happened to the shipyard in terms of their legal successor. --57.67.164.37 14:24, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Ah, hello, I'm the IP from the above 1984 section (just for not causing trouble), and I cannot contribute anything meaningful to this, but I just read it for random and I just thought to say that I wish you the best in your try, but also felt for mentioning that if it now seems so that you face hard/complicated word, I would feel for it would be too pity if all the work would not result in your three articles just because some admins or so would held the object of the ship itself "irrelevant"/"unimportant"/etc.. I have no really knowledge of (the history of) ships, and I don't know if you're new to wikipedia or if you for reason can be sure that your articles will be kept, and so although I would really like to read them, I know it could be frustrating if first the work is done but second it is rejected. So, hm, I don't know - would you think the ship itself is that relevant that admins will clearly keep it, or maybe the article itself will make the ship relevant through putting your material into it? Maybe you could reveal the name/type/significance of the ship to some admin or so who watches wikipedia ship articles, just to get to hear an opinion from someone there? In every case, I, personally, would suggest creating the english article first and the german article last, as I think it is common sense that en:wiki more often creates/keeps information/articles than the german one, which is one of the restrictivist ones, I'd guess - so that it could help in keeping the german article if you could say "ah, and, by the way, there's even an article of this at en:wiki by now..." ;-) Sorry for the long writing, in the end that ship is a famous ones in the whole world and my suggests were totally unnecessary, but, as said, I just didn't want you to do all the work but in the end not getting kept, but I'm sure you'll make it (if nothing helps, maybe just make up a reference to either Nelson, Churchill, Hornblower, or all combined? Or didn't some of the ships of the Spanish invasion fleet sent to England ran aground at dutch coast? There's a remarkable historical connection, I'm pretty sure... ;-)).109.90.72.91 19:20, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Being a Dutchman with interest in ships perhaps I can be of help to search for the successors of the yard. What was the name of the yard and the name of the ship? --Stunteltje (talk) 21:53, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for the encouragement, "IP from..." :-). Actually, this is about MV Duplus, the world's first ship to use the SWATH hull type in productive life. She was a support ship to the oil industry, built for the North Sea by Boele's Scheepswerf & Machienefabriek in Bolnes, NL in 1968 (and while we are at it, someone in the Dutch WP really should start an article about Boele's Scheepswerf, as it was a rather relevant operation, I believe? Best regards, --Himbeerkuchen (talk) 06:31, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

in case someone is interested - the original question is now here: de:Wikipedia:Urheberrechtsfragen#Dreiseitenansicht_eines_Schiffs. --Saibo (Δ) 12:53, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

YouTube video downloading

How do I download YouTube Creative Commons-ed videos, like this, for upload to Commons? 113.190.68.48 03:35, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

From what I saw at http://www.youtube.com/t/creative_commons the default license seems to be CC-BY. User:Zscout370 ^{(Return fire)} 03:45, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

To download them, use a tool like Free YouTube Downloader. Make sure you choose "No conversion (FLV)" and the highest quality level. You can then use another tool like VLC Player to convert to OGG before uploading here (use the Theora + Vorbis option in File->Convert/Save). Let me know if you have trouble figuring this all out. Dcoetzee (talk) 06:19, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

File:John Stewart Bell (physicist).jpg : OTRS ticket check out

Hi,

I had received CC-BY-SA-3.0 photo of File:John Stewart Bell (physicist).jpg from the owner (Queen's University Belfast). It was November 3. Same day I uploaded the photo to commons and I sent all relevant correspondence at permissions-commons-at-wikimedia.org. Even since the image status didn't change and no answers received to my mail box. I do realize that the OTRS checkout is run by volunteers at their spare time — as the most of any project activity anyway - so I wouldn't expect an immediate reaction. The previous OTRS checkouts took anything from 3 days and up to 2 weeks. Still it is 27 November now and it is close to one month OTRS is pending w/o any further comments and it makes me a bit uncomfortable. --Neolexx (talk) 17:23, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

P.S. The correspondence has been sent November 3, 2011 in two letters: FW: Wikipedia: John Stewart Bell free photo : [1]‏ and FW: Wikipedia: John Stewart Bell free photo : [2]‏. --Neolexx (talk) 17:26, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi, I think you should copy the question to the Commons:OTRS Noticeboard, so it can have better chances of being seen by OTRS members. -- Asclepias (talk) 19:56, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

Copied to the Commons:OTRS Noticeboard --Neolexx (talk) 20:17, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:Yahlogo.png

Hello, There are copyright issues with the logo that i have uploaded, how can i solve this problem? are there any specific documents that i need to provide? (Trademark Registration Certificate)? --Abdelrahman15 (talk) 05:51, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Hi Abdel, usually we just need to obey copyright (trademark rights do not really matter for us - we just mark them with {{Trademarked}}). We can only be sure for simple text logos that they are not copyright eligible (see Commons:Image casebook#Trademarks and COM:TOO). If File:Yahlogo.png would only consist of the text it would be clearly a text logo and you could insert this copyright tag on the file page: {{PD-textlogo}}. Your logo here has a bi-colored star in addition which makes it a bit harder... Maybe we can compare it to the W on top of the best western logo here which would mean that it is still a star - a common shape, so it wouldn't be copyright eligible. Then you can apply {{PD-textlogo}}. Not an easy case here. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 13:06, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for your prompt response, i would like to have the full logo version (text + star) on the wikipedia page.

Please advise.

--Abdelrahman15 (talk) 11:25, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

I could undelete (it got deleted in the meantime) the logo but I wish to hear other opinions of other community members who have some knowledge about the details in US logo copyright law. Please wait a bit. Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 00:33, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding File:Matra logo.gif

Please help me with adding logo of Matra company in the article about Matra. I am a beginner here and I am inexperienced with inserting pictures into articles, and I am not a native english speaker so I have problem. I only wanted to improve the article about Matra because every Formula One constructor has its logo in the article, only Matra not. You can take picture of Matra logo from this website: http://auta5p.eu/katalog/matra/matra.htm Please help me, I thank you in advance

--Lucullus19 (talk) 16:46, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Matra is now owned by Segula Technologies. Maybe a French-speaker could contact Segula Technologies to discuss copyright with them? Maproom (talk) 10:55, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Web hosting

Policy states that Commons_is_not_your_personal_free_web_host. User:Geo_Swan has uploded many files which are just plain bad. 65.95.176.241

Browsing through those files, all of them are helpful additions to commons with proper licensing information - and exactly the type of file that commons wants to have. The fact that you don't like their files is irrelevant, and their uploads are well within the scope of commons. Ajraddatz (talk) 19:15, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Uploading an image from the "public domain"

I represent Byrdie Bell, and have recently built her wiki page. I am trying to upload a photo of her that is already on the web (can site the source with the image) but am unsure how to upload it into the commons so that I could put it on her page. The Image is #5 of 5 here: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/ViO1r2MKyuV/2011+New+Yorkers+Children+Fall+Gala/qIVSBXlL2FL/Byrdie+Bell. Any help getting onto commons would be extremely helpful! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Smbrandsway (talk • contribs) 2011-11-29T19:24:38‎ (UTC)

You would need to download the full size jpg on your computer (if you do not have a better quality version) and Upload it to Commons. Then you can insert it into her article.

But the most important part is: the copyrights. Do not upload unless you have the explicit permission from the photographer. To upload a photo here the photo must be usable by everyone worldwide (see intro of COM:L) if he respects the license chosen. This permission/free license release needs to be documented via our OTRS process (e-mail).

I guess the photo of her which you have just linked is not in any way related to you, is it? Do you know the photographer? Could I help you? Cheers --Saibo (Δ) 00:30, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

Contrary to the heading you've used for your question, the photo is not in the public domain. As you can see from the byline of that site, the photo is protected by copyright, and the rights to the photo are held by Getty Images. Getty Images are very restrictive about licensing and are very, very unlikely to release that photo under a free license. You would probably save yourself a lot of time by looking for an alternative that is already published under a free license free or at least an alternative whose copyright holder is more likely to release it under a free license. Asking before uploading if you're unsure was the right thing to do, so please ask again if you need any clarifications. —LX (talk, contribs) 11:19, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

To clarify LX's comment: Even if there would be no "byline" (naming the potographer/copyright holder) the photo would be copyrighted. Copyright is the default (not "public domain"). --Saibo (Δ) 15:21, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

review request

The author of this file has temporarily put the license for me; someone please review it asap. --YusuF 19:20, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

 Done, the carpet design itself might be copyrighted, though, if I read en:Intellectual property in Iran correctly. --rimshot^talk 19:56, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

Thanks!

I'm not familiar with these laws but I don't think this image is that detailed that somebody could copy a design; you can't even view one of them as a whole piece, also considering the twisted positions. --YusuF 20:55, 30 November 2011 (UTC)