Commons:WikiProject Public Domain/PD-old review

{{PD-old}} is a widely used, abused and misunderstood PD template. It may

1. not be correct (eg when the "70 years since deathyear of author" requirement is treated as "70 years since creation")
2. when used where longer-dated PD tags (especially {{PD-old-100}} could be applied, it introduces unnecessary confusion
3. as the tag itself states, it is not by itself sufficient (per COM:L, a US PD tag is also required)
4. the copyright in the digitization of works is often ignored (this is often, but not always, {{PD-Art}} or {{PD-scan}} compatible, but if it is, the tags should be applied, and if not, there is a problem)

In very many cases, {{PD-old}} can be replaced with either

1. {{PD-Art|PD-old-auto-1923|deathyear=XXXX}} (for works published before 1923)
2. {{PD-Art|PD-old-auto|deathyear=XXXX}} + a US PD tag (for works published after 1923)
3. {{PD-scan|PD-old-auto-1923|deathyear=XXXX}} (for works published before 1923)
4. {{PD-scan|PD-old-auto|deathyear=XXXX}} + a US PD tag (for works published after 1923)
5. {{PD-old-auto-1923|deathyear=XXXX}} (for works published before 1923)
6. {{PD-old-auto|deathyear=XXXX}} + a US PD tag (for works published after 1923)

Background

• Commons:Village_pump/Copyright/Archive/2012/11#template:PD-Art

Guidance affected

• {{PD-old}}
• MediaWiki:Licenses (for Special:Upload)
• Special:UploadWizard

Templates affected

• {{PD-old}}

Tools

• Help:VisualFileChange.js - a very powerful tool, to be used with caution (access via "perform batch task" in the lefthand Toolbox). Can do text replacements ("custom replace" option) to execute the review process on many similar files at once.

Target for completion

?

Progress

• 29 December: 1.06m files in Category:PD Old.
• Current: 2,062,725 in Category:PD Old.

See also

• Commons:WikiProject Public Domain/PD-Art review (replacing default transclusion of PD-old by {{PD-Art}})