I have no problems finding tons of documentation explaining this license but I can't for the life of me figure out what I should do about the copyright notice. Here's my story... I found a document that teaches a new way to learn how to make widgets. The document has a copyright notice like this: This document is copyright by Author Name (2005) and distributed under the GNU Free Documentation License. The method explained is sound but the document is a short 4 page rough explanation of this new concept with a few simple practicing exercises. So, I take all this information, convert it to an ebook with cover page, introduction, table of contents, extra exercises, a better way to explain the concept, images and so on... The only thing left of the original document is the method described nothing else...everything else is new original material. My question is if the document no longer exists but the method described in it has been used, is this still a document that should / must be credited and released under the GNU license? And if so, how would one go about displaying the copyright message? For example, would I do something like this: This method is copyright by Author Name (2005) and distributed under the GNU Free Documentation License. Document updated by New Author (2010) and distributed under the GNU ..... I want to be honest, but having said that I feel that if I went to a class room, learned a new way of doing things and then wrote a book about it...wouldn't that copyright be mine to keep? Same idea here I am thinking, I learned a new method from a short 3 page document and turned it into a full blown ebook course of about 25 pages with full formatting, images and everthing else you would expect an ebook to contain.
Once again a copyright question posted in the wrong section... this is copywriting, hence the reason you haven't found the answer.
Sorry to have put you out like that...your nice bold highlighting makes me feel like I am not welcome here because English is my second language and I made a mistake... let me apologize Mystique for not being a native English speaker.