[pmwiki-users] SALIENCE for the WikiSite's terms of use, copyright, copyleft, and etc?

[Monty]

Joachim Durchholz wrote:
> I agree that some kind of legal disclaimer should be part of every site. 

Hooks could be present in the default (and alternate) template.

> However, what exactly is needed can vary wildly, from "nothing at all" 
> for company-internal sites to several links fulfilling various legal 
> requirements of different countries. (German sites must state who's 
> legally responsible for them, for example.)

Yes, providing anything beyond a well integrated (but empty) hook is ill 
advised.  However, omitting hooks is poor, because it causes the average 
WikiAdministrator to neglect/forget about writing a site policy and IP 
agreement, which in most (WIPO) nations of the world means that 
WikiAdmin will be in trouble because by default "all rights reserved" 
applies to every squiggle anyone ever makes and nothing is contributed 
without an explicit agreement to the contrary.

> I don't think that PmWiki can do much more than offer a general warning 

I don't even think PmWiki should offer a general warning.  Just template 
hooks to a (initially blank, "policy goes here") policy page.

> of "you're legally responsible for the site, make sure that visitors 
> can't do bad things with it and leave you out in the cold with the 
> responsibility". Even that may be beyond what Pm is willing to take - 
> after all, as soon as the PmWiki distribution includes legal advice, he 
> may be held responsible for any errors and omissions in that. In other 
> words, if he really wishes to help administrators along (something I'd 
> like to see done), he should take professional legal counsel.

Absolutely Pm should avoid this for all but his own websites.  And we 
should click on his paypal button more often to give him some $$ yes?

Yes!.

:)

-M