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The Free Curricula License (FCL) is designed to
encourage Fair Use while preserving the proper citation
of the author(s). The FCL will not replace any of the
exceptional licenses that are already
available such as the GNU Free Documentation License,
FreeBSD Documentation License, and the Open Publication
License. Rather, the FCL tailors the ideals of Open Source and Free
Software to educators.
Many licenses were evaluated before starting work on the FCL.
The author(s) looked for the best and worst points of each one,
what others thought of them, and ways to improve them for use in
education. From that research, the FCL was born.
Upon the finals release of the Free
Curricula License, it will cover all needs of those who
wish to use it. Two projects that have
expressed interest in using the FCL are the GOVIA Project and
the OpenSchooling Project.
The Free Curricula License will be beneficial to school
systems everywhere.Teachers will be able to use FCL material to
create lesson plans, handouts, or a complete curriculum without
having to worry about the restrictions of use and sharing.
Q: Why should I use the Free Curricula License?
A: We're not going to say that anyone should use this license.
You should only use a license that does what you want it to do for
you and if the FCL is the one for you, then so be it. It's your choice.
Q: What benefits does the FCL have over other licenses?
A: It depends. The FCL was created by members of the Open Source
Education Foundation, the OpenSchooling project, and OzoneFarm for the
purpose of writing curricula for schools, be it a book or another type of
information resource. If that is what you wish to write, then this is
probably the best license for you. The FCL covers everything you'd find in
an on-line document or published document, audio, video, images, and the
text itself. By writing works under the FCL you even have a chance to get
paid or a free dead-tree copy or a free e-book of it. You are guaranteed
credit for your work and, if that's not enough, you can sit back and think
of all the thousands of people you help by writing this, then thinking
about how it could affect them down the road. Brings a smile to your face:)
Q: What are the drawbacks to the FCL?
A: Well, one major drawback to the FCL it the fact that it wasn't
created earlier. Some people may say that it provides too much freedom, but
that's a matter of opinion. Isn't freedom something everyone wants anyway?
We certainly think so.
Q: Does it cost anything to use the FCL?
A: Just the time it takes you, or your group, to include what the license
says to include.
Q: Is it true that I can use any part of a work that is under the FCL in
another work that is not?
A: Yes, this is true. Do realize, though, that
you can't change the license of those parts without the author's permission.
What ever comes from any work that is under the FCL remains under the FCL.
Without allowing this, works could be lost, but, with this, parts of the
works can survive for others to read.
Q: Why another license?
A: There wasn't a license before this one that reflected the needs for
educational works.
Q: Does there need to be a license geared toward education?
A: Absolutely! Without one it would be harder for schools to keep track
of what they can and can't do.
Q: Whose responsibility it to enforce this license?
A: Enforcement of Copyright is an issue for the holder of the Copyright.
This is generally the author (in a license like this) but can be whom ever
the originator of the work designates.
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