[Geodata] Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] defining a Geospatial Integration Showcase to be launched at FOSS4G 2009]

[Cameron Shorter]

OSGeo data committee, meet Anne,

Anne is one of the Australian lawyers funded to provide guidance to 
Australian government to address licencing issues.

Jo, Mikel and others, It would be great if you would introduce 
yourselves to Anne. I've run to the limit of my knowledge in this 
licensing space. I know that we have a licensing problem which needs 
solving and also know that there are others who have a much better 
handle on the subject.

Anne Fitzgerald wrote:
> Hi Cameron
> Yes, happy for you to pass on the text below.  What is probably of most relevance for members of your group are our publications, which are listed (with links) at http://www.oaklaw.qut.edu.au/reports
> Of most relevance are:
> (1) the report "Building the Infrastructure for Data Access and Reuse in Collaborative Research: An analysis of the legal context" (2007) at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00008865/01/8865.pdf; and
> (2) "Practical Data Management: A legal and policy guide" (2008) at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00014923/01/Microsoft_Word_-_Practical_Data_Management_-_A_Legal_and_Policy_Guide_doc.pdf
> They shine a significant amount of light on the kinds of legal "problems" you mention.  Most of the issues can be addressed and managed, but it takes a bit of expertise to know how to do it.  We have set about trying to simplify the law and explain how it can be made to work in practice, to enable researchers to create the kinds of sharing arrangements they want.
> Regards
> Anne
>
> Professor Anne Fitzgerald
> QUT Law Faculty
> Email: am.fitzgerald at qut.edu.au
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Cameron Shorter [cameron.shorter at gmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, 25 October 2008 4:09 PM
> To: Anne Fitzgerald
> Cc: Kylie Pappalardo
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Geodata] Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] defining a Geospatial Integration Showcase to be launched at FOSS4G 2009]
>
> Hello Anne,
> Nice to meet you.
>
> Do you mind if I CC your emails to the Open Source Geospatial (OSGeo)
> Foundation - Geodata email list?
>
> The list contains an international community of people who have been
> wrestling with licencing issues for longer than me.
>
> One of the issues that we, OSGeo, are facing is that geographic datasets
> are often aggregated from multiple sources, and from multiple countries
> (and legal systems).
>
> So I assume we need to solve this with an international licensing framework.
>
>
>
> Anne Fitzgerald wrote:
>   
>> Hi Cameron
>> The situation with licensing of databases is different - and simpler - in Australia that that in other countries, particularly the UK and Europe.  In the UK and Europe the situation is made much more complex by the fact that they have introducted specific protection for databases.  In Australia however, (as in the US) there is no special protection for databases, so the usual principles of copyright law apply.  In Australia, copyright covers a greater range of materials than would be protected by copyright in the US because, as the law presently stands (as interpreted through court decisions), not a great deal of originality is required for a database to be protected by copyright.
>> So, in Australia, it is possible - and sensible - just to use a straight CC licence, without having to go to the bother of finding a specific database licence.  There has been a lot of discussion in international forums about the best form of licence for databases (eg at Creative Commons and Science Commons international meetings), but the latest view is that in countries such as Australia it is better just to use the standard CC licence.
>> All of this and much more is explained in our recently published (relatively) short and (certainly) easy to read guide on rights in data and databases, which is available at http://www.e-research.law.qut.edu.au/
>> This may be of interest and use to you.
>> I will get back with more comments on your other questions - just working through emails at the moment.
>> Best wishes
>> Anne
>>
>>
>> Professor Anne Fitzgerald
>> QUT Law Faculty
>> OAK Law Project
>> www.oaklaw.qut.edu.au
>> T: (07) 31387695
>> Email: am.fitzgerald at qut.edu.au
>>
>> ________________________________________
>> From: Cameron Shorter [cameron.shorter at gmail.com]
>> Sent: Friday, 24 October 2008 8:35 AM
>> To: Anne Fitzgerald
>> Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Geodata] Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] defining a Geospatial Integration Showcase to be launched at FOSS4G 2009]
>>
>> Anne,
>> More background from this email thread.
>>
>> --
>> Cameron Shorter
>> Geospatial Systems Architect
>> Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
>> Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254
>>
>> Think Globally, Fix Locally
>> Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
>> http://www.lisasoft.com
>>
>>     
>
>
> --
> Cameron Shorter
> Geospatial Systems Architect
> Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
> Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254
>
> Think Globally, Fix Locally
> Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
> http://www.lisasoft.com
>   


-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Systems Architect
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
http://www.lisasoft.com