Shor's Algorithm and Wikipedia

[Callie]

The information which the student rattles off is lifted word-for-word from Wikipedia’s page on Shor’s Algorithm. Now admittedly the student does look down and consult notes partway through his speech and I’m sure that both MGM and the episode writer will claim that we were meant to believe that he had lifted the text from Wikipedia (although I assumed that it was the actor who had had to be given the notes because he couldn’t memorise the entire speech), but that’s the worst case of plagiarism I’ve ever seen!

Now admittedly not many people were likely to find what had been done, but I found the text on Wikipedia because I was doing research while writing the transcript. While googling "Shaw's Algorithm" initially and not finding anything helpful, I tried "Shore's Algorithm" and was directed to pages with the correct spelling. I went into the Wikipedia page in the hope that, as the student babbled off his dialogue, it would help me follow what he was saying, but I ended up half hysterical with laughter as he literally narrated the entry with only a few words missing from the sentences!

I wonder if Wikipedia will sue?! More to the point, are they able to sue and does this count as plagiarism?

[Rykel]

I think you're overlooking the fact they could have contacted Wikipedia before they used it? I highly doubt they went on Wikipedia and copied it and claimed it as they wrote it. Either way I don't think they can be sued by Wikimedia as in there terms of use it says "You can re-use content from Wikimedia projects freely" of course I don't really understand that legal mobojumbo all too well so there could be stuff there. Either way, I kinda like that they did it for the student because it is an issue in schools.

[General Jumper One]

Since it is an algorithm for I think anyone can use it because it would be useless if no one could.

[escyos]

wikipedia is edited by anyone...they dont own anything....end of discussion

[Mike.]

First of all it was an extremely small quote that surely is covered by Fair Use (no matter what MAFIAA tells you).
Secondly it was about a general fact, you can't copyright the size of the Earth for example.
Third, all content on wikipedia is added freely by the users for they benefit of mankind. They can't sue for something they don't own. For example if someone would vandalize someone else's biographical page, Wikipedia couldn't be sued under libel laws because the content was added by a user. Like the Safe Harbor provisions in the DMCA.
Forth, wikipedia has a very permissive license. Last time I checked it was Creative Commons. All it requires is a mention of the source, buried somewhere in the credits. In SGU's case even this wouldn't be needed as it's a very small quote (fair use) and general knowledge.

Disclaimer: IANAL

About the use in the show:

This makes me happy, the writers actually researched the topic instead of making up some technobabble. The fact that the answer came from a student makes it that much more authentic, as they are are the most likely people to lift content from there and use it verbatim.

Besides, the fact that a student used an encyclopedia to provide an answer in his class makes perfect sense - that's what encyclopedias are for, to spread knowledge. Also, there's nothing wrong with a student quoting it from memory, that was probably his source when he studied it. There are only so many ways to reword something and since this was a school assignment he memorized it.

If you asked me a similar question I'd also give you a more or less exact answer - from what I read in the course materials.

[Wayston]

wikipedia uses very liberal copyright licenses, basically anyone has the right to use most content on wikipedia as long as the information remains free

also copyright does not give any rights to the underlying reality, only to your artistic construction; basic mathematics and such are not covered at all; one could argue that the text featured on the show is just a basic explanation of this mathematical figure without any original, independent input from its creator and therefor not covered at all

[thekillman]

nice find actually. looks like the writers use wikipedia too

[exscape]

[QUOTE=Mike.;11444515]
About the use in the show:

This makes me happy, the writers actually researched the topic instead of making up some technobabble. The fact that the answer came from a student makes it that much more authentic, as they are are the most likely people to lift content from there and use it verbatim.
/QUOTE]
Agreed.
As a computer science geek, I found it nice to have some actual facts (well, facts I know about) in the show.

That and 42, but they semi-ruined that by adding the source of the joke.

[Phenomenological]

But the student was created by Rush's mind, unless he actually taught them a class based on decoding a complicated ancient algorithm and was remembering it, which doesn't seem likely. It's possible he did it to try to get them to help with the power calculations for the Icarus gate but not likely.

That would imply Rush memorised the wikipedia definition. He doesn't strike me as the wikipedia type.

[Fridgefiend]

But the student was created by Rush's mind, unless he actually taught them a class based on decoding a complicated ancient algorithm and was remembering it, which doesn't seem likely. It's possible he did it to try to get them to help with the power calculations for the Icarus gate but not likely.

That would imply Rush memorised the wikipedia definition. He doesn't strike me as the wikipedia type.

The wikipedia information is most likely taken from a textbook of some kind. Seems likely Rush would know it in that kind of form being a professor and stuff.

And like someone said above there's only so many ways you can restate information.

[Callie]

It's interesting to know - I asked because I didn't know whether material on Wikipedia was copyright or not. It just struck me as funny that it was quoted so very exactly.

Thanks for the responses!

[Starsaber]

That would imply Rush memorised the wikipedia definition. He doesn't strike me as the wikipedia type.

We don't know how much of that was his subconscious, and how much was his actual memory. Maybe when it actually happened, the student had printed out the Wikipedia page.

[flipper_gv]

You cannot be accused of plagiarism on wikipedia since there is no copyright on anything.

[Phenom]

Why would you be a writer for a Stargate show? For years they get bagged about making up tech stuff and not doing any research, so when they actually do some pretty decent research what happens??? A thread bagging them for lifting facts from the internet. Are you guys serious? I would much rather this than just making crap up that has no plausible place in any logical scientific conversation.

[Lord Hurin]

Why would you be a writer for a Stargate show? For years they get bagged about making up tech stuff and not doing any research, so when they actually do some pretty decent research what happens??? A thread bagging them for lifting facts from the internet. Are you guys serious? I would much rather this than just making crap up that has no plausible place in any logical scientific conversation.

Green.

This is exactly how I feel. After years of people whining about inaccuracies/ impossibilities, now that the facts are right some still complain. They're not actual scientists, you know...