使用条款/介绍
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• 在一系列社区性的编辑及讨论之后，元维基的使用条款已更新。新的版本将于2012年5月25日开始生效。
The updated Terms of Use is the result of a unique collaborative process that incorporated over 200 edits and 4500 lines of discussion. For more than 140 days, the Wikimedia community reviewed, drafted, and redrafted proposed updates to the Terms of Use, resolving over 120 issues. Never before has a major website’s terms been drafted through such an interactive, collaborative effort. 针对新条款的社区评论和修正已于2011年12月31日截止。理事会于2012年3月6日正式通过了新条款的最终版。除其他事项，该条款服务于：
- Better understanding: The updated agreement includes an easy-to-read template summary to help facilitate understanding of the terms.
- Stronger security: The updated terms prohibit a number of actions – such as installing malware – that could compromise Wikimedia systems. Though these restrictions do not represent a change in policy, they provide clarity as to what is unacceptable behavior.
- Clearer roles: In response to requests for guidance, the updated agreement clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the community, including editors and contributors. These terms also seek to provide guidelines to help users avoid trouble.
- More community feedback: The updated agreement ensures that future updates will be accompanied by a collaborative discussion process. The update gives users at least a 30-day comment period before a major revision goes into effect (with Board approval). There is a three-day exception for urgent legal and administrative changes.
- Clearer free licensing: According to some, the previous ToU was sometimes confusing in regards to free licensing requirements. The updated agreement attempts to explain more clearly those requirements for editors and contributors (without changing existing practices).
- More tools against harassment, threats, stalking, vandalism, and other long-term issues: The terms make clear that such acts are prohibited. Novel for Wikimedia, the updated agreement raises the possibility of a global ban for extreme cross-wiki violations, a need that has been expressed from a number of community members. While the global ban is authorized by the terms of use, it will be implemented by community policy.
- Better legal protection: The updated terms incorporate legal sections that are commonly used to help safeguard a site like ours, such as better explanation of our hosting status as well as disclaimers and limitations on liability for the Foundation.
简单来说，我们和其他抱有共识，秉持相似协议的组织保持一致，包括Internet Archive，Creative Commons，Mozilla Firefox，Open Source Initiative，Project Gutenberg, Linux Foundation，Stack Exchange，Wikispaces和 WordPress.com。
若非我们整个社区的勤力付出与专业素养，这个项目定难实现。我们为整个社区在这项创新活动中的参与而喝彩，因为这份努力促成了各大主流网站中针对使用条款最具协作性的编写。
