[OSGeo-Board] Bylaws posted

[Arnulf Christl (CCGIS)]

>
>
> Frank Warmerdam wrote:
>> Arnulf Christl (CCGIS) wrote:
>>
>>> Spatial data is somewhat special in this respect. I talked to Jimmy
>>> Wales Richard Stallman they think GNU FDL is good. Ward Cunningham is
>>> into CC,
>>> and says its cool for spatial data too obviously.
>>>
>>> I am not sure though. Daniel Faivre (camptocamp) is very actively
>>> promoting a license specially designed to fit spatial data backed by an
>>> active Canadian group, they call it PGL. I believe Jo has something up
>>> the
>>> sleeve too and OSM is also thinking in this line. All of them are
>>> highly
>>> interested in the OSGeo (well, dunno about OSM, they are sort of
>>> sleepy)
>>> and it might happen that the Foundation itself will be the body
>>> creating
>>> this special license. In the end this is one of the things that we came
>>> together to do here. What I want to say is that we do not have to
>>> choose
>>> from different licenses but maybe set out to create one.
>>
>>
>> Arnulf / Markus,
>>
>> At one point I proposed that the requirement our software projects use
>> OSI approved licenses be written into the bylaws with the intent that it
>> would not be easy for a board to contemplate changing any "copyright
>> assigned"
>> software to a non-OSI license.  That is, as a sort of limitation on the
>> board
>> and the foundation.
>>
>> Since we haven't worked out details of what license(s) are necessary
>> best
>> for various kinds of "content" or spatial data, I would suggest we not
>> try to
>> address this in the bylaws at this time.  As has been done, it is useful
>> to
>> make clear in the bylaws that the OSI approval requirement is for
>> software.
>>
>> Certainly, I would like to see discussion about appropriate licenses for
>> web/educational/promotional materials and spatial data.  But there is
>> not
>> yet much clarity on the topic.
> +1.  It's an issue I'd like to work on as well, indeed I met Lawrence
> Lessig of Creative Commons last year in South Africa, and he said they
> could potentially be interested in developing a set of licenses for
> geographic data.  But to put something like that in the bylaws now is
> short sighted - we should wait for it to mature, indeed perhaps like the
> OSI approves open source licenses perhaps OSGeo could be the certifier
> of open geodata licenses.
>
> Chris

Oh certainly, I did not want to suggest that we have to define a license
right now - I was rather trying to suggest that maybe this will be one of
the highlights that OSGeo can ever help come into existence. And I think
Markus thinks in the same line and just wanted to make sure that we don't
inadvertently adhere to a sticky license in a bylaw that gives us a
headache later. Everything fine.

Best, Arnulf.

PS:
Why does the board.board always end up in To *and* the CC. Nobody else has
this problem?

>>
>> Best regards,
>
> --
> Chris Holmes
> The Open Planning Project
> thoughts at: http://cholmes.wordpress.com
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-- 
Arnulf Christl
http://www.ccgis.de