[fdo-internals] FDO Incubation update

[Frank Warmerdam]

Greg Boone wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> The more I think about the provider test data we have in our SVN, the more I
> believe that we have not put enough effort into determining what data we
> truly have the right to publish in our distribution files, or even store in
> our SVN. There seems to be multiple locations where we have determined that
> the data originates from public or governmental web sites, but that in and
> of itself does not give us permission to distribute in zip form, or to
> maintain a copy. I am now thinking that the provider test data should be
> removed from the SVN if the distribution rights are at all in question. This
> act would allow us in part to graduate incubation. Once incubation is
> complete and 3.3.0 is released, we can begin a piecemeal process of
> resubmitting test data that has been vetted more carefully.
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts on this.

Greg,

I think we need to look at this on a case by case basis.

But I also think we need to take this on a "risk management" basis.  IMHO
it isn't critical that we can trace a file back to a specific distribution
point, and confirm the license associated with it.  It should be sufficient
to be confident that the data is released under a license that allows us
to redistribute it.

So, for instance, I was intimately involved in the original release of the
"pci_eg" data files and am confident that the intent was for them to be
redistributable.  Likewise, when we have DTED level 1 files we know that
the government redistributes these as public domain data even if we
can't easily confirm exactly where we got these.

I am concerned that once we remove data files, and drop the corresponding
test suite tests it will be hard to restore this without quite a bit of
work.  We should drop files if we have no confidence in their appropriateness
to redistribute *but* we don't need to demonstrate a detailed trail of
provenance for them either.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org