Version 1.1 of the definition has been released. Please help updating it, contribute translations, and help us with the design of logos and buttons to identify free cultural works and licenses!
FAQ
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What about other kinds of commons, like grains, electromagnetic spectrum, genetic information? They need a "freedom" definition, too.
The Free Content Definition is about works of the human mind (and craft). This category is legally but also philosophically justified: creation of works - art works, free software works, free hardware design, machine design, whatever - is a well-defined philosophical concept. Various other kinds of commons (like material commons) do not belong to this category.
Since we are not proposing a Manifesto (which can be vague, broad, and very encompassing) but a Definition (which must be based on firm conceptual ground), trying to find a "one-size-fits-all" ethical message would destroy the meaning of the message and transform it into a meaningless slogan. But staying inside the boundaries of a clearly defined category of things helps us remain meaningful, and powerful.
We encourage other people to try and give a definition for "freedom of genetic information", "freedom of water resources", "freedom of electromagnetic spectrum", etc. But we cannot do it in the framework of this Definition, because the issues are very different and it would be sterile to try to explain them in the same terms as free contents.
Who wrote this? Who administers the site?
Why isn't a Non-Commercial restriction considered free?
Also:
Why isn't a NoDerivatives restriction considered free?
A NoDerivatives restriction in a license does not allow you the user to freely modify, remix, adapt, or build upon a work, thus restricting your fundamental freedom to that cultural expression. Truly free licenses will lack NoDerivatives clauses, which will allow you to crop photographs, remix audio, changes the names and settings in fictional text, or modify software for your specific needs as an end user.