User:KTucker/Libre knowledge (draft)
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THIS IS NOT A WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE
The draft below and the article are still almost identical (as of 17 Feb 2015).
This is a draft for ideas on how to improve the Libre knowledge article, including the option of turning it into an essay which does not need to comply with Wikipedia's Policies and guidelines, and perhaps moving it to some other venue.
Use this draft's discussion (Talk) page in connection with this draft, or the main article's Talk page to discuss the Wikipedia article specifically (i.e. not the potential essay below).
Libre knowledge (or free knowledge) is knowledge which may be acquired, interpreted and applied liberally. It can be re-formulated, adapted and extended according to one's needs, and shared with others for community benefit.
The adjective "libre" is used to indicate that the knowledge is in a state of "having freedom" or "liberty", irrespective of whether or not it is free of charge (avoiding the ambiguity in the word "free"). Nevertheless, the term "free knowledge" is also used in contexts where the specific meaning of free is clear.[1][2]
The term also refers to the cultural movement of libre knowledge (a sub-culture of the broader free culture movement[3]), inspired by the success of commons-based peer production in the development of libre software and Wikipedia, and guided by the principles of libre software,[4] and (for some) a conviction that knowledge should be accessible and shareable without restrictions.[5] Proponents tend to insist on the use of libre software, libre file formats and libre licensing for most types of knowledge and cultural resources.
Use of the term libre knowledge arose early this century in the wake of discussions within the free software community considering the term "libre software" as an alternative to "free software" to avoid the ambiguity and associations (free/gratis suggests devoid of value to some), and thereby gain greater acceptance in the commercial world.[6][7] In the same way that libre software has become synonymous with free software as defined by the Free Software Foundation,[8] the terms "libre knowledge" and "free knowledge" synonymously associate equivalent freedoms with knowledge.[9]
While acknowledging the practical benefits of commons-based peer production as exemplified by prominent free/libre and open source software projects and Wikipedia, libre knowledge communities, or libre communities,[10] align themselves with the ethical perspective underpinning free/libre software.[10][11][12] Conversely, the related concept "open knowledge" acknowledges the ethical perspective,[13] but is framed in terms directly derived from open-source software which emphasises the pragmatic advantages of the open source production and development model.[9][14][15]
No distinction is made with cultural resources (or works), and published definitions of libre knowledge[9] and of libre cultural works[16] are essentially equivalent, being based on the same principles directly derived from the free software definition.