Linked at the end is http://civic.mit.edu/blog/natematias/designing-acknowledgment-on-the-web from which I am compelled to quote:

"A system which acknowledges the beauty of cooperative relationships can't be based on the impersonal idea of hypertext or the egocentric notion of authorship. It can't rely on licenses to threaten people into acknowledging each other. Instead, we need an aesthetic of acknowledgement that values relationships and revels in the joy of working with people who inspire us. Acknowledgement should be intrinsically exciting and fun, a gift and a party rather than a duty."