Programmers: license for SignWriting symbols (ISWA)

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
May 29, 2007

Of course, Charles. Agreed. No worries about this...no one will be  
restricting you or me or anyone from writing with the writing system  
and publishing with it, and copyrighting their published works...;-)

The other day someone asked me if I would restrict what someone says  
in ASL...would I allow swear words?...can you imagine such a  
question? The alphabet has nothing to do with what is said when  
writing with it...A writing system is not a language...it is just a  
bunch of symbols...what people say and write is their business! I  
don't even know ASL well enough to write in it myself, let alone  
restrict someone to use their native language and judge what they say  
in it!

So again, let's rejoice that we have such opportunities and I pray I  
can find a way to dispel everyone's concerns. And thanks once again  
to Gerard, for suggesting the OFL license. I have spoken to Steve  
about it and it seems it will be a good idea for the symbols...but we  
will take it slow to be sure...

On a totally side note....we have published Isadora Duncan's Sheet  
Dance, as you know.

You can download the documents on this web page...yes...for free! ;-))

DanceWriting Library
http://www.dancewriting.org/library

Thanks for mentioning Isadora Duncan!

On Thursday I am presenting SignPuddle to a research group here in  
San Diego and so I am going offline until Friday, so I can prepare  
properly for my presentation Thursday afternoon...

Talk to you all this weekend ...many thanks for the great  
discussions ;-)

Val ;-)



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On May 29, 2007, at 4:29 PM, Charles Butler wrote:

> I am concerned that we need a very clear statement that works in  
> Sign Writing as rendering of language still retain all the normal  
> protections of creative works.
>
> If I write a novel in ASL or Libras, I should still be able to  
> copyright that novel regardless of the language or the writing  
> system in which it is produced.  The person is not paying for the  
> alphabet, they are paying for the novel.
>
> If I develop a sign language learning game, using ASL or Libras  
> words transcribed in SW, the words themselves cost nothing, but the  
> learning game is copyrightable, and sellable, as an idea.
>
> If someone, such as Valerie Sutton, renders the Sleeping Beauty  
> ballet as choreographed by  Isadora Duncan, then three works are  
> involved, the Dance Writing which as a system is free, the  
> choreography of Isadora Duncan, for which Ms. Duncan's Estate  
> should receive a fee, and Valerie Sutton herself for the dance  
> transcription as a creative work.  Sheet Dance, like Sheet Music,  
> is a finished work, not the symbols used to write it.
>
> Charles Butler