[Geomoose-users] Copyright Infringement Issue

[Ed Boesenberg]

What do you mean by FUD?  I am trying to explain to non-technical bean counters why my company CAN use GeoMoose and other similar code projects in a for profit manor and they came back to me with the question, "How can I prove that GeoMoose is not infringing on other copyrighted material?".  

 

I know the license grants me permission but the people I am explaining to concerns are about the "contributors".  How do I prove what they are contributing in not infringing?

 

I am a big advocate of open source software but I am trying to explain it to others and I having difficulties.  I don't mean to offend anyone.  

 

From: geomoose-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:geomoose-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Basques, Bob (CI-StPaul)
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 4:13 PM
To: James Klassen; geomoose-users at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: Re: [Geomoose-users] Copyright Infringement Issue

 

E,

 

Adding to what Jim said, yes it IS copyrighted (which is a good thing), but the License explicitly gives you permission to use as long as you follow the licensing rules which are for the most part straight forward to follow.

 

 

Bobb

 

 

 

From: geomoose-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:geomoose-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of James Klassen
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 2:40 PM
To: geomoose-users at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: Re: [Geomoose-users] Copyright Infringement Issue

 

First, I cannot give legal advice, so you are on your own there.  Second, I object to your email subject as being FUD.  

GeoMoose IS copyrighted material.  The license that GeoMoose is distributed under is available in the LICENSE file in every download, near the top of the source files, and on the GeoMoose website [1].   GeoMoose and OpenLayers are both OSGeo Projects, so another place to look is at the requirements for a project to pass OSGeo Incubation [2].

Most other open source projects are similar.

[1] http://www.geomoose.org/info/license.html
[2] http://www.osgeo.org/incubator/process/project_graduation_checklist.html

Jim Klassen

On 2014/1/29 12:49 PM, Ed Boesenberg wrote:

Hello All,

 

I have been trying to convince the Board of Directors of the company I work for to let me engage current customers and possibly new customers to setup GeoMoose type web applications and other similar type web applications based on OpenLayers.  The Board is reluctant because of copyright infringement.  Their argument is how can I prove that GeoMoose and OpenLayers is not infringing upon other copyrighted material.  They considered getting a patent attorney to review my code\GeoMoose code but they aren't able to justify the cost. 

 

How can I prove my argument that GeoMoose and similar open source code is not copyright material?

 

Thanks,

 

E





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