[PD-ot] Art: To GPL or not to GPL?

[CK]

I read:
> So I now that I am getting deeper into coding art projects, I am  
> beginning to think about how to make a living doing it.  To make in the  
> art world, you need to make a name for yourself using your projects  

agreed but

> (ideally, of course, there is also a ton of bullshit involved).  Up til  
> now, I have released all software that I have written under the GPL  
> since I firmly believe that all software should be free.  But now I am  
> thinking that there might need to be one minor caveat for some art  
> projects: the credit clause.

[...] 

> So my particular question lies is trying to figure out what harm will  
> come of releasing art code with an Attribution clause.  I believe that  
> some harm is inevitable, but I think it my be a necessary comprimise.

I think this depends on what you are creating, the GPL clearly states
that if you do not distribute binaries to 3rd parties you have absolutely
no obligsation to share the source. Most media/code art projects are
notoriously unsellable anyway (I'm not so sure what distribution means
in fact, if I use GPL code in an installation for others to look at, did
I distribute a binary ?) it's hardly a problem to just keep the sources
to yourself. 
The more pressing issue IMO is that in the 'art world' if you are working
in a field that seldomly yields a tangible artefact (as opposed to pretty
oil paintings) your credit is entirely based on the reception of your
work and not on gallery sales (better switch to acrylic for the duration 
of the hype, it dries quicker >;-> ) and then it's totally unimportant if
other people have access to your cvs and clone your work (they'll hopefully
be identified as the freeloaders they are) but on the other hand wouldn't
you just love to see more interesting digital art being inspired by your
work, building up on it while still being original ?

I think this is one ot the great advantages and opportunities of digital
cultural production, and the art market is hardly any more ready for the  
paradigm shift introduced by somewhat new channels and technologies of
distribution than the major content industries, the legal system, the 
patent office ....

take care, and stick to the GPL ;)

x

-- 
chris at lo-res.org	Postmodernism is german romanticism with better
http://pilot.fm/	special effects. (Jeff Keuss / via ctheory.com)