A long-term project is underway to transfer freely licensed files from Wikipedia to the Wikimedia Commons, which serves as the central file repository for all Wikimedia Foundation projects. When our local files are transferred there, they will provide the added benefit of becoming instantly and globally available across all Wikimedia Foundation projects.
Why move files to Commons?
- Commons files may be used by any Wikimedia Foundation project, such as Wikipedia, Wikinews, or Wiktionary. Some projects, such as the Simple English Wikipedia, exclusively use files hosted on Commons. A file uploaded to Commons only has to be uploaded and maintained once, as opposed to dozens of times for each individual Wiki.
- Commons extensively categorizes of files, making it easy to find a files across a wide variety of topics.
- Commons files are maintained even if they are not immediately used to illustrate articles. Wikipedia, by contrast, is not a file host and therefore does not permit unused files.
Instructions
Do not Transfer
Do not Transfer | Because | Action to Take? |
---|---|---|
Non-free content | Commons does not accept non-free content. | |
Derivatives of non-free content | Commons does not accept non-free content. | |
freedom of panorama. | Photographs of 2D/3D works taken in countries where is noCommons does not accept non-free content. | |
Public domain works exceeding the threshold of originality in their home country. | Non-Commons does not accept non-free content. | |
verifiable source. | Files lacking a clear andFiles must be clearly sourced so that their copyright status may be verified by anybody. | Tag these with {{subst:nsd}} |
evidence of permission. | Files lacking adequateFiles created by a third party and uploaded to Wikipedia under a free license must include a permission statement (e.g. link to online permission statement, OTRS permission) so that it can be verified that said party has actually agreed to such publication. | Tag these with {{subst:npd}} |
license tag. | Files without aLicense tags describe the copyright status of a file. | Tag these with {{subst:nld}} |
free license restricting derivatives/commercial use, or restricting usage to Wikipedia only. | Files with aFreely licensed files uploaded to Wikipedia and Commons must allow derivatives/commercial use, and usage outside Wikipedia. | Tag these with {{Db-f3}} |
Pikachu as own work) | Files with dubious Own work claims. (e.g. Claiming an image ofThese are probably copyright violations. | List at FfD and/or tag egregious cases with {{Db-f9}} |
Public domain in their country of origin, but still copyrighted in the USA. | Files which areCommons requires that files be free in both their country of origin and the USA. Note that the English Wikipedia does not have such a restriction for uploaded PD files. | |
Public domain in the USA but still copyrighted in their country of origin. | Files which areCommons requires that files be free in both their country of origin and the USA. |
Tools
Name | Generates WikiText? | Can Upload? | Uses OAuth? | Supported Operating System | Written in | Link/Download |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CommonsHelper | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a | PHP | toollabs:commonshelper |
Fileinfo | Yes | No | n/a | n/a | PHP | toollabs:magog/fileinfo.php |
For the Common Good | Yes | Yes | No | Windows (w/ .NET Framework 2.0+), macOS/Linux (w/ Mono/Wine) | C# | [1] |
imagecopy.py | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cross-platform; CLI only | Python | [2] |
MTC! | Yes | Yes | No | Cross-platform | Java | Get MTC! |
Manual Transfer
Save the file to transfer onto your computer and upload it at Commons. Include the following information on the file's Commons description page:
- The contents of the local
{{Information}}
template — Note: Fileinfo generates the upload information text to transfer manually. - The license tag — Note: some templates used locally exist with another name on Commons. For example,
{{PD-old}}
is{{PD-old-100}}
on Commons, and{{PD-old}}
on Commons is{{PD-old-70}}
on Wikipedia. - A copy of the local upload log — You must state the username of each uploader and the date/time at which the upload was performed. This is a strict requirement for the GFDL and Creative Commons licenses. You are not required to upload previous versions of the file, or mention reverted vandalism/file usurpations.
Once you are finished, please tag Wikipedia's copy of the file with {{subst:ncd}}
or {{subst:ncd|File:New filename.png}}
(if you chose a new name for the Commons file).
Backlog Status
Backlog: Copy to Wikimedia Commons |
Recent Comments