Way back on that cold day in Chicago, I'm not sure anyone ever really thought about what it would mean when we said we'd "offer legal protection".
Does it imply/lead-to/entail some sort of indemnification? Ouch, that would be pricey... How does the Apache gang, et al, handle this? -mpg > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Landon Blake > Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 7:56 AM > To: OSGeo Discussions > Subject: RE: [OSGeo-Discuss] Board Proposal: Statement of > OSGeo Legal Support > > Cameron, > > I think this is an excellent idea, and a lawyer should definitely be > consulted. I wonder if the legal staff at the Software Freedom > Conservancy could assist. > > Landon > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Cameron Shorter > Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 3:56 AM > To: OSGeo-Board > Cc: OSGeo Discussions; Adrian Custer > Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] Board Proposal: Statement of OSGeo Legal > Support > > OSGeo Board, (CC to OSGeo Discuss), > > During the founding of OSGeo, it was often noted that OSGeo projects > would benefit from OSGeo legal protection. Now, as Geotools wrestles > with graduation criteria and how to handle license assignment, the > nature and level of legal protection offered by OSGeo is > unclear. Also > unclear is the level of legal review available (as tested by Geotools > crafting of a Copywrite Assignment document). > Consequently, geotools is having difficulty deciding whether > it is wise > to assign copywrite to OSGeo. > > I suspect a large part of the problem is that board members (like > myself) are not lawyers and don't have a clear understanding of the > options, the value of each of the options to OSGeo and the > projects (how > much protection is given), and the cost both in time and financially. > Key questions to answer for each option are: > * What level of support is given to contributors and license reviewers > (individuals and companies) > * What level of support is given to OSGeo users? > * What level of support is given to projects? Will OSGeo > fight a license > infringer on behalf of a project? > * What level of support is given to the OSGeo Foundation? > > *Proposal* > That the board makes a clear statement on their website about > nature and > level of support offered by OSGeo to OSGeo projects and Individuals. > This statement needs to be backed up with a budget item addressing > financial implications related to the statement. > > Implementation: > I suggest the steps to achieve the above would be: > 1. Board approves budget to have a lawyer, or volunteer with legal > review, to draw up a list of options and their financial > implications. > Adrian Custer's review provides an excellent basis for a > lawyer to start > > from. http://docs.codehaus.org/display/GEOTOOLS/Geotools+Legal+Review > 2. Board votes to select best option. > 3. OSGeo financial sponsors are given opportunity to contribute to > decision. > 4. OSGeo budgets for decision > 5. OSGeo records the legal stance publicly (on a webpage). > > -- > Cameron Shorter > Geospatial Systems Architect > Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050 > Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254 > > Think Globally, Fix Locally > Commercial Support for Geospatial Open Source Software > http://www.lisasoft.com/LISAsoft/SupportedProducts.html > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > > Warning: > Information provided via electronic media is not guaranteed > against defects including translation and transmission > errors. If the reader is not the intended recipient, you are > hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or > copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you > have received this information in error, please notify the > sender immediately. > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
