Did somebody say free beer?

Think free as in speech, not free beer.

When we say that Connexions offers users access to "free textbooks and learning materials", most people assume that we're talking about materials that can be used without paying for them. And that's certainly true.

But our materials aren't just free in the monetary, "free beer" sense; they're also free in the liberty, "free speech" sense. Authors are free to modify existing content - through updates, corrections, translations, customizations, localizations, etc. - to meet their own needs. They are also free to take these materials and use them outside of Connexions. In fact, the only restriction that is placed on our users is that they give credit where credit is due by providing attribution.

I am often asked why we elected to go with the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-by) license, rather than one of the other Creative Commons licenses. For example, many open content enthusiasts promote the use of the "share-alike" restriction, which compels anybody using licensed content to make their derived works available under the same terms. Others question the lack of a non-commercial restriction, arguing that authors who willingly give up opportunities to profit from their works should not have to stand by while others cash in on their efforts by repackaging and selling derivatives (or exact clones) of the original material.

The short answer is this: the more restrictions we place on these works, the less free ("as in speech") they become, and the less flexibility we have as a community to use those resources. Instead, we choose to free ourselves of these limitations, engaging authors, learners, and even publishers to promote the free exchange of ideas so that everybody can benefit from our combined wealth of knowledge.

Is the CC-by license the best choice for every open content project out there? No, it's not. But we feel that it is the right choice for Connexions, and the right choice to support our mission to provide free - truly free - educational materials that benefit the entire community.

Speaking of which, did I hear someone say free beer?

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Talk back:

How do you feel about the choice to use the CC-by license for Connexions content? Do you see this as a barrier for authors who might otherwise contribute, or an opportunity for innovators to develop new ways to use knowledge to its fullest potential? Do you feel that this license benefits authors by promoting the use of their content by others or lacks respect for the value of their work? We'd love to hear what you have to say!