<br><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_quote">Hi Arnulf,<br><br>I'm just catching up on my email and noticed your renewal of this thread.<br><br>If OSGeo is to go down the route of getting IP into one organisation, it would be good to see the IP protected in a regime that is not subject to software patents and can offer some protection against them.<br>
<br>That doesn't really offer much scope at this stage (...and I'm not an expert in this area).<br><br>...perhaps somewhere in the EU?<br><br><br>Bruce<br><br><br><br>
<br>
> -----Original Message-----<br>
> From: <a href="mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
> [mailto:<a href="mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] On Behalf Of Arnulf<br>
> Christl (aka Seven)<br>
> Sent: Sunday, 14 February 2010 5:44 PM<br>
> To: OSGeo Discussions<br>
> Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Software Copyright ownership<br>
><br>
> Cleaning up an older thread...<br>
><br>
> >From what I gather from the lists there seems to be no broad<br>
> opinion in<br>
> favor of making projects move their copyright under the hood<br>
> of OSGeo.<br>
><br>
> With the recent discussion of potential export restriction<br>
> enforcement by incorporated organizations incorporated in USA<br>
> the the need for a more global organization seems to be<br>
> higher. I am frankly at a loss at where such an organization<br>
> would be incorporated and what it could look like but if it<br>
> existed I would very much like to support it. If anyone has a<br>
> great idea what a truly global OSGeo should look like please<br>
> speak up.<br>
><br>
> We should spend some thought on copyright every time we admit<br>
> and evaluate projects in incubation. My personal experience<br>
> shows that having the copyright of Open Source projects<br>
> completely under the hood of a community owned organization<br>
> is a good thing. Everything else is messy. The messy bit only<br>
> shows when things go wrong so lets keep fingers crossed and<br>
> as long as nothing happens we'll all be fine.<br>
><br>
> Best regards,<br>
> Arnulf.<br>
><br>
> On Mon, 2009-12-14 at 21:34 +0000, Chris Puttick wrote:<br>
> > The other issue with assigning code copyrights to a US-based<br>
> > organisation is a simple one. The US has the strongest<br>
> software patent<br>
> > machine and the most supportive courts (if you pick your state<br>
> > carefully ;) ).<br>
> ><br>
> > As FOSSGIS applications bite ever harder into the profits<br>
> of the dominant player(s), the chance of the game being<br>
> changed to a legal one rather than a sales and marketing one<br>
> is pretty high; a fight OSGeo couldn't afford to be in.<br>
> ><br>
> > Chris<br>
> ><br>
> > ----- "Landon Blake" <<a href="mailto:lblake@ksninc.com" target="_blank">lblake@ksninc.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> ><br>
> > > One example of the restrictions Luis is talking about is the<br>
> > > prohibition against distributing certain cryptographic software<br>
> > > outside of the<br>
> > > US:<br>
> > ><br>
> > > <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Export_of_cryptography" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Export_of_cryptography</a><br>
> > ><br>
> > > Don't know that OSGeo would bump into that, but it is one<br>
> example of<br>
> > > a US specific restriction on organizations involved in software<br>
> > > development.<br>
> > ><br>
> > > Landon<br>
> > > Office Phone Number: (209) 946-0268<br>
> > > Cell Phone Number: (209) 992-0658<br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > > -----Original Message-----<br>
> > > From: <a href="mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a><br>
> > > [mailto:<a href="mailto:discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">discuss-bounces@lists.osgeo.org</a>] On Behalf Of Luis W.<br>
> > > Sevilla<br>
> > > Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 10:40 AM<br>
> > > To: OSGeo Discussions<br>
> > > Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Software Copyright ownership<br>
> > ><br>
> > > Hi,<br>
> > > one thing must be taken in account, IMHO. If I'm not<br>
> wrong OSGeo<br>
> > > is an USA foundation (is registered in the States, and<br>
> must follow<br>
> > > his laws, of course. As USA maintains a commercial<br>
> embargo to Cuba<br>
> > > [1], it<br>
> > ><br>
> > > seems there are a lot of things in technology fields<br>
> restricted to<br>
> > > American companies (and also foundations).<br>
> > ><br>
> > > If OSGeo will not became a more global (not so USA laws<br>
> > > conditioned)<br>
> > ><br>
> > > institution, it doesn't seem so good the idea of giving all and<br>
> > > every<br>
> > ><br>
> > > copyrights to the foundation.<br>
> > ><br>
> > > My two cents<br>
> > > Luis<br>
> > ><br>
> > > [1]<br>
> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_embargo_against_Cuba" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_embargo_against_Cuba</a><br>
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><br>
> --<br>
> <a href="http://arnulf.us" target="_blank">http://arnulf.us</a><br>
> Exploring Space, Time and Mind<br>
><br>
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