TheRules

"Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!"

I think we do. Rules help to keep order from turning to chaos in any type of community.

The one objection I have had with Wiki's in the past has been how easy it is for a Wiki page to degenerate into meaningless nonsense when too many people are futzing around all over the page. For the people involved it's not too bad because they know what they wrote and so can mentally separate comments from content, but for the poor folks that come to the page later it makes no sense at all.

The majority of the rules below are intended to keep things orderly and to keep people from stepping on toes. I may add more as time goes on. If you have any ideas for other rules or want to gripe about these, please add a comment to the bottom of the page.

Rules to keep things clean and orderly

1. You must be logged in to edit pages. Use the Login link at the top of the page to register if needed, and to identify yourself to the wiki. You must use your real name and do not try to masquerade as someone else. As of 2015 you will also need to be a member of the TrustedEditorsGroup.

2. Normally comments about an existing document should be added at the bottom of page, NOT inline. Inline meta-comments in Wikis often detract from the original content and sometimes lead to an incomprehensible chaotic mess. Putting comments at the bottom helps to keep thing clean, orderly and understandable. (See http://CommunityWiki.org/TurnBasedVsInterruptedThreadMode for a long rant on this topic)

3. When you add comments to documents make sure it is separated from the one before it and sign your name to it. Something like what is down at the bottom of this page.

4. If the comments on a page start turning into a conversation, then the comments should be moved to a new page that is named the original page's WikiName + "Comments", for example, TheRulesComments.

5. Unless you are a SiteEditor don't make large, wide-spread or structural changes without discussing it first on wxPython-docs and getting approval.

6. If a page has this (or a similar) comment at the top of it:

   ##
   ## DO NOT EDIT
   ##

   then don't edit it, unless you are the original author of course You can also use this technique to give other instructions to people wanting to edit the document, such as Feel free to edit anything here or Please fix this.

7. Use SpellCheck!!

8. The correct spelling of wxPython or any other wxThing uses a lower case w, not capital W. This holds true even at the beginning of sentences or if you want to make the wxWord into a WikiName. To do the latter use this syntax: ["wxWhateverName"].

9. Foul or insulting language will not be tolerated.
10. And now for a bit of legal mumbo-jumbo:
    • By creating, editing, or adding comments or content to documents on this web site you are implicitly relinquishing copyright of the text and ownership of any intellectual property contained therein to the core members of the wxPython community to use as they see fit for the benefit, edification and education of the wxPython community at large.

    • All warranties regarding the accuracy or usability of the content of this web site, either express or implied, are hereby disclaimed. It is up to the reader to verify any knowledge learned here before using it, or permitting it to be used, in any situation in which any loss of data, time, profits or any damage whatsoever can result, the various authors, SiteEditors and the core members of the wxPython community shall not be held liable in any way.

Comments...

This is my comment.

--Robin

Here is another comment
--Robin

A question:

By writing something to the web site I understand that the author gives up all copyright to the core wxPython members, but what do those core members then do with that copyright in turn? For instance, am I allowed to use a class I copied from this Wiki in a commercial application? Can I take that class, update it, and then GPL the result? Or anything else? I'd love to see more more legal mumbo jumbo concerning this aspect of wxPyWiki...

-- Leo Breebaart

Good question. The intent of the copyright assignment is to ensure that everything in this wiki remains freely usable by anyone, and that there would be no possibility of someone coming after you because their code in the wiki was used by your application.

--RobinDunn

Some books and documents have been released under the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL). How about using the GFDL to cover all non-code content and the GPL to cover all code related content?

--DermotDoran

Comment...

It's good to edit the wiki in a text editor before posting, if you are making big changes. That way you can use spellchecker and the text editor can do some work for you. --LarsOlson

Many people prefer LGPL over GPL.

what do those core members then do with that copyright in turn?

I am not a lawyer, but I assume they can do the same sorts of things that anyone who owns a copyright can do.

For example, a copyright owner can release it as public domain. Then anyone can use it for anything -- use it in a commercial application, and also slap a LGPL or GPL license on it and re-distribute it, and also all kinds of other things.

There used to be a "Wiki Legal" to discuss software and wiki licensing, but it appears to be offline as of Jan 2005 ...

-- DavidCary