Commons:Deletion requests/New York City Subway bullets

This deletion debate is now closed. Please do not make any edits to this archive.

New York City Subway bullets

The New York MTA claims that it owns the licenses to its logos and symbols, of which the subway bullets are a part of. Regardless of whether they are correct or not, the MTA has been vigorously defending their intellectual property,[1][2] and to see the bullets on non-New York City Subway pages is alarming.[3][4] I am nominating the bullets that are currently in use, have been used in the past 10 years (the 9) or about to or proposed to be used (the orange M and the T). (There are other variations in Category:New York City Subway bullets that I am not nominating at this time.) The images should be fine under fair use. --TLK in 3 (talk) 05:21, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Keep I would say that they can all be keept becaue of simple design. See also here. Amada44 (talk) 07:34, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep As per above, far to simple for copyright.--Svgalbertian (talk) 15:35, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep Quite clearly too simple for copyright eligibility. MTA's claims of copyright are frankly... sad. Jujutacular ^T · C 15:52, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep They're letters or numbers in the middle of a simple geometric shape. No copyrightable claim.--Prosfilaes (talk) 17:29, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep Seems to me that that {{PD-ineligible}} would apply. --ChrisRuvolo (t) 17:40, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Comment would it help to make our case and increase their usefulness by moving them to generic names, like Bullet_W_Yellow_circle.svg? On the other hand, moving them would be non-trivial.--Prosfilaes (talk) 17:47, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep. The bullets are so simple that they are public domain. Putting a letter or number in a circle or diamond is not enough to declare authorship. —Imdanumber1 ( local | logs | global ) 18:51, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep per so many reasons already listed, especially the one given by Prosfilaes. What's next? Is P. C. Richard & Son going to sue the Famous Tate appliance & bedding chain in the Tampa Bay area because they both use the same typeface? ----69.117.255.50 21:32, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
- Sorry, I got logged off my PC. I reiterate; KEEP.----DanTD (talk) 21:35, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Comment After absorbing everything that was said here, I agree the combination of shape, color and text is simple enough to not allow a claim of copyright, one of the simplest combos there is. I would suggest the tags be changed from the current {{PD-text}} to {{PD-ineligible}} because the color is also an important element. I also suggest adding the tag {{Trademarked}}, if the MTA's trademark claim is valid. (Full disclosure: I am planning to write a mobile app regarding NYC public transportation ~~and I will ask the MTA for the rights to use its bullets, among other images.~~ At one point I plan to integrate Wikipedia text into the app, and in doing so, I want to be sure that Wikipedia will have no liability from using the bullet images. For example, if I incorporate the article en:34th Street – Penn Station (IND Eighth Avenue Line) into the mobile app, I want Wikipedia to be free of trademarking liabilities due to the bullets in the infobox. Plus, I am also a significant editor of the infobox!) This should be enough to close the debate and keep the images, but the tags should be edited. --TLK in 3 (talk) 21:41, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
- I still support closure as directed above. (I would do it myself as a non-admin but I'm busy at the moment.) I'm just adding a comment that I will not seek to use the MTA's intellectual property because the rights are too expensive. But I strongly suggest adding the trademark tag as it's appropriate here. TLK in 3 (talk) 07:57, 26 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Keep This file can be useful in a userbox. Please, do not delete it. Luispihormiguero (talk) 21:34, 22 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
- Can't you create and use another similar file that will not infringe on the MTA's trademark? Like, the letter "G" in a red circle for the gaming infobox above (if that in itself is not trademarked)? TLK in 3 (talk) 07:57, 26 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
  - No use in a Gaming Userbox could possibly infringe on the MTA's trademark. Trademarks are limited by field. The MTA does have a trademark (76534147) on the G in white on a green circle (check out http://www.uspto.gov/index.jsp for details) and presumably others, but that's only in their field.--Prosfilaes (talk) 12:21, 26 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Keep {{PD-ineligible}} or {{PD-geometry}} Kyro (talk) 14:28, 26 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Kept. TLK (or anyone) is welcome to improve the tags on the images. 99of9 (talk) 04:59, 27 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Commons:Deletion requests/New York City Subway bullets

New York City Subway bullets

Navigation menu

Search