> Actually, when a boundary changes, it will be published in the
> Staatsblad/Moniteur (it just doesn't happen very often).
I know, but I was mainly interested in the way the borders were
defined in 1830. Say I take a certain point. Which law defines it to
be a part of community X? Is there such a law? It is more curiosity
from my side, than practical use for OSM.
For that little map in your example, I totally agree that we can use it.
> Well, it's still not 100% clear AFAIK, we need to hear from a copyright lawyer
> before I make any conclusions. Facts cannot be copyrighted, but then you'll
> end up with things like a database law, except that would probably be not
> applicable here.
Facts cannot be copyrighted, but the way of presenting them certainly
can. You can not copyright the fact that the border follows a certain
river, but the nice map you are drawing of that rivier and the border
can be copyrighted. Or the nice shapefile you are making to represent
it.
> But I'm pretty sure that if you get the boundaries from a
> government source, they won't be able to claim any copyright on it (but usual
> IANAL disclaimer). Get them from a commercial map and it can start getting
> tricky.
Are you saying that we can freely copy from maps from a government
agency (NGI-IGN to name one)?
I still have to read the first excerpt from copyright law stating that
government works should by default be treated otherwise than works
from anyone else. (With the addition of "by default" I mean that I
agree there can be we well-defined exceptions like the
Moniteur/Staatsblad, but I talk about works not covered by such a
precise exception.)
> Reminds me that the Flemish government made a database with all traffic signs
> in Belgium, it's just not publicly available. I wonder if they could claim
> copyright on the database if they did make it available...
Same as above. I don't see why government data can't be protected. Be
it under copyright or database right.
For me also IANAL disclaimer. Just trying to make sense of things that
I might not totally understand, or even might totally not understand.
wouter
--
"Den som ikke tror på seg selv kommer ingen vei."
- Thor Heyerdahl
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