[OSGeo-Discuss] Promoting freely available geodata

[SteveC]

Dear all

It's incredibly cool that governments are thinking of using CC foe geodata.

Our legal-talk and other lists have found a whole ton of problems with 
it though (we use a CC license in OSM).

I'd be super interested in seeing the results and if any lawyers think 
that they're valid for geodata - and if they looked at the Database 
Directive and its impact. As would we all on legal-talk.

Arnulf Christl wrote:
> On Fri, March 30, 2007 06:36, Tim Bowden wrote:
>> On Thu, 2007-03-29 at 08:22 +1000,
>> nicholas.g.lawrence at mainroads.qld.gov.au wrote:
>>> discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org wrote on 28/03/2007 04:45:26 PM:
>>>
>>>> On of the aims of OSGeo is the promotion of open geodata.  From
>>>> conversations I've had with various people over time it appears one of
>>>> the difficulties data providers may have with this is licensing.
>>>> There's no obvious candidate license for open geodata.  Do we need
>>>> something like OSI approved licenses for geodata?  Are there any
>>>> existing OSI licenses that suit?  If so, we should be pointing to
>>> them.
>>>> Do we need input from those with a legal clue?  Should we be talking
>>> to
>>>> OSI about this?
>>>> Just thought I'd raise the issue and see what others think.
>>>> Tim Bowden
>>> I can report that the government in Queensland, Australia is
>>> considering the creative commons liscence for releasing publically-
>>> available geodata. It is not final, but close to it.
>>>
>>> nick
>> Nick, this is great news.  Can't wait for this idea to infect other
>> govt's in our region.  The idea that user pays /in every instance/ has
>> taken hold much too firmly down here (especially when we have already
>> paid through our taxes!).
>>
>> Regards,
>> Tim Bowden
> 
> Several states in Germany (we are federal, everybody runs in a different
> direction) are also considering to use a CC license to protect some of
> their data and publish it for Open and Free access. We are currently
> trying to convince them that the non-commercial-use clause might be more
> anti-commercial in its effect than it will help them to earn money but
> whichever way it goes, it is the right overall direction. This is one
> exmaple of what is there already: http://www.geoportal.rlp.de/ Btw: The
> portal is built on Open Source completely. Some 70+ services are already
> available, they come in all makes and colors. Most of the data is
> currently not protected by any license at all, some have a copyright tag
> somewhere. It is a pain, but it is getting better. Never stop talking to
> them, they need all the moral support they can get. :-)
> 
> Regards,
> Arnulf Christl
> 
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-- 
have fun,

SteveC steve at asklater.com http://www.asklater.com/steve/