User talk:Mgho12345

Welcome!

Hello, Mgho12345, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few links to pages you might find helpful:

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Adding this at the top of your talk page as it contains some useful links.--06:57, 12 October 2016 (UTC)Ipigott (talk)

Hello! Mgho12345, you are invited to join other new editors and friendly hosts in the Teahouse. The Teahouse is an awesome place to meet people, ask questions and learn more about Wikipedia. Please join us!

Nice meeting you in San Diego! Welcome to Wikipedia! --Rosiestep (talk) 19:33, 10 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Hello

So you learned hotcat and now you are learning talk pages. Jim.henderson (talk) 23:12, 10 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

glad to meet you!

Hi again! It was nice to talk with you at the WikiConference. I look forward to seeing you online across sciences and languages! I will be very happy to advise and contribute if you would like my attention on anything. I enjoyed my evening in San Diego and got home and I am returning to Real Life. -- econterms (talk) 20:13, 11 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Images of gabbeh

It was nice meeting you at the WikiConference.

On my talk page you asked about sharing images of gabbeh on Commons. I can help with Commons generally but this is a complicated issue that might require further discussion.

There are Wikipedia articles on Gabbeh and fa:گبه. The gabbeh is a traditional rug or textile in Persia and may have traditional or modern designs. I wish to answer your questions here on your page so you have some text here for yourself, because you might be thinking about this more frequently than I am able to do.

"I like to digitally add the variety of their designs to the commons and I had two questions about that: can you help me with those?"

Yes, I can assist with Commons uploads.

"There are digital files of the designs held by some Persian rug and carpet galleries that sell the rugs for financial profit. Do you know if I still can approach them to release their digital files under public liscence using OTRS even though they make money from sell of the rugs that are featured in those designs?"

Yes, Wikipedia community members frequently approach art organizations and as them to share media with the Wikimedia community. If it interests you to ask, then there is no harm in asking. Yes, anyone may reuse art on Wikimedia Commons in any way, including for resale, so there is no problem with an organization selling designs which they share with Commons.

Probably the challenge here will be around copyright. If the designs are traditional and actually copies of old designs, then they may be in the public domain. If they are, then no one owns them, and anyone who has pictures to share with Commons can do so without worrying about the copyright of the design. However, if the designs are new, or if someone is claiming copyright of them, then Commons needs someone to identify themselves as copyright holder and also release the designs. If someone has a new design for a gabbeh and it is their own copyrighted design, then Commons needs a release for both the design and the photograph of the design.

It is challenging to determine the copyright of traditional designs. Here are some works talking about this problem -

The Copyright Thing Doesn’t Work Here, a book talking about the copyright of traditional weaving in Ghana
Navajo Nation versus Urban Outfitters - The Navajo in the United States assert a copyright over their woven designs

Do you know if the person who made these designs was copying something old, or if they made the design new somehow to get a copyright?

"Also do you know what is a reasonable number of digital files (photos) that can be added on the commons on one subject? I'm asking that since I can go over board when designs are pretty and unique :-))"

The limit should be your confidence in the copyright and how much supporting text documentation you can provide. If there is doubt about copyright, then confirm that everything seems okay, then upload only a few, then ask again if everything is okay. Beyond that, when you upload, try to do it with documentation to explain the significance. If some gabbeh you understand, and some you do not, do the ones you understand first. Like if you can say, "These designs are from the years 1700-1720, and were made in this region..." share those before uploading images which you know nothing about. Commons prefers to have images which have an explanation and description.

"If these questions aren't related to your expertise, would you refer me to whoever can help me?"

Lots of other people would give you other opinions and have conversations with you. The most general referral I can make is to Commons:Commons:Village_pump/Copyright, where you could ask these same questions and get other answers. I can talk to you as a first point of contact to get oriented and make referrals if you need deeper guidance, but right now, I think a good starting point would be confirming who designed these textiles, whether the designs are new, and if there is a chance they are copyrighted. No one would want to post an artist's own original creations if they are not to be shared or given proper credit. Blue Rasberry (talk) 20:41, 12 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]