[steering-discuss] Call for SC-vote: Using (Windows) Screnshots in TDF materials

Hi,

in our latest SC-Call we discussed the issue about taking and publishing Screenshots on windows. As we had no quorum in the call, I'd ask every SC member / deputy to vote on the statement we agreed in the call.

The statement is:

It is noted that several members of the SC acknowledge the existence of a legal risk to display screenshots of LibreOffice on Windows, but the risk is deemed low, therefore, while screenshots on GNU/Linux should be the default ones, screenshots on Windows are also possible.

Meeting minutes are at:
http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TDF/Steering_Committee_Meetings#Minutes_2011-07-13

regards,

André

So .. casting my vote

The statement is:

It is noted that several members of the SC acknowledge the existence of a legal risk to display screenshots of LibreOffice on Windows, but the risk is deemed low, therefore, while screenshots on GNU/Linux should be the default ones, screenshots on Windows are also possible.

+1

André

Hi
my vote is to use MS Windows screenshots, for windows-only situations (as in
the install)
Thanks and regards

Hi,

Hi
my vote is to use MS Windows screenshots, for windows-only situations (as in
the install)

Well .. that would be quite hard to document as a formal decision.

Do you actually agree on the wording we have in the meeting minutes or do we need further discussion?

Regards,

André

Hi André

The wording does not let it clear if MSWindows screenshots are to be used or
not ("legal risk", "deemed low risk", "should be", "possible").

Olivier

Hi,

My apologies for interrupting an SC vote in progress, but I feel the
motion itself is somewhat ambiguous... Either screenshots taken under
Windows are allowed or else they're not, but it leaves room for a lot
of unfair twisting if (in the event that the ultimate decision was a
"+1") you have this "caveat" that "screenshots on GNU/Linux should be
the default ones".

May I put it to the SC that it would be better in the motion was
"Screenshots for documentation, web graphics and marketing materials
for LibreOffice and TDF may be taken on any computing platform,
notably Linux, but also Windows, Macintosh and other operating systems
and graphical user interfaces."

This would be unambiguous and unequivocal...

Hi Olivier,

so somewone should find a better wording, maybe discuss this again within the SC and then call for a vote.

regards,

André

+1

Hello,

May I put it to the SC that it would be better in the motion was
"Screenshots for documentation, web graphics and marketing materials
for LibreOffice and TDF may be taken on any computing platform,
notably Linux, but also Windows, Macintosh and other operating systems
and graphical user interfaces."

Olivier, would this also comfort you, is this in the direction you were thinking?

Florian

[SNIP]

I am just thinking out loud here, if the UI is majorly the same across all platforms why not just use linux for the screen shots, that way the TDF wont have to worrie about copyright infringment etc from windows and mac? At least the TDF can rest assured no legal action will be taken if linux is used.

HI Florian

And my vote is +1

Regards

Hi :slight_smile:
+1 to all this.

The agreed wording, that keeps getting repeated, allows screen-shots to be
taken in MS Windows. The wording also cleverly allows screen-shots on other
platforms.

The perceived issue with MS is that MS Office is possibly their main income
stream. People might buy 2 or 3 versions of MSO to upgrade that while only
upgrading their OS once. If MS see TDF as a threat to that income stream then
we can expect them to try to reduce that threat. Hopefully they might do that
as fantastically well as they manage to build stable, secure products but we
can't rely on that.

Oracle fell 'easily' because it wasn't a fight they were particularly interested
in but with MS its a crucial part of their business, especially if we get onto
the Cloud or when people realise the Cloud is "a pipe-dream" and deeply flawed.

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile: