On 30/06/11 11:55, David Groom wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Fairhurst"
Jonathan Harley wrote:
Really I'm at a loss to see the point of the share-alike clause (4.4).
I can't think of a use-case for OSM where processing the database
doesn't reduce the amount of information.
The canonical case, often cited by those who say OSM needs a share-alike
licence, is to prevent commercial map providers taking the data we
have and
they don't (e.g. footpaths), adding it to the data they have but we
don't
(e.g. complete road network), and not giving us anything back.
IRMFI, not because I believe it myself. :)
I think anyone who thought ODbL satisfies this case would be being
naive. It's so easy to dodge really giving anything back in many
different ways, including (off the top of my head): combining OSM with
"additional contents" in the form of already rendered map data, with
poor accuracy and no metadata, which would make it virtually impossible
for things like a road network to be extracted; and/or publishing the
derived database under a license that's compatible with ODbL but
incompatible with the CTs.
That would certainly seem a very good thing. In lots of peoples
opinion where you *add* data, then it is good if that data can be
shared back to the community.
It would seem a good thing and I hope people who use OSM will do it, but
I don't believe ODbL enforces it effectively, while placing a heavy
burden on anyone who wants to use OSM without combining it with other data.
However where you *don't* add data, but merely process the OSM data,
either by extracting some sub-set of it, or simply by transforming it
from one form of database to another, then what is the point of
requiring compliance with ODbL clause 4.6.
I can't see any point. At least you don't have to publish your
database/method unless someone requests it. But we have to assume that
sooner or later, some busy-body is going to go around doing exactly that.
J.
--
Jonathan Harley : Managing Director : SpiffyMap Ltd
Email: m...@spiffymap.com Phone: 0845 313 8457 www.spiffymap.com
Post: The Venture Centre, Sir William Lyons Road, Coventry CV4 7EZ
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