Fwd: Re: [Live-demo] Impacts of OSGeo-Live document license selection on OSGeo

Simon Cropper scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au
Tue Jun 28 00:05:01 PDT 2011


On 28/06/11 16:20, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> For example, Lets say I'm writing a Design document for a project, or
> responding to a Request for Quotation, where the proposed solution makes
> use of a number of OSGeo-Live applications. Both documents would likely
> require a description of included applications. Also, in both cases, the
> document will likely be commercial in confidence due to the commercial
> sensitivities of the project.
>
> It would be very nice to include the OSGeo-Live Project Overviews in
> these documents. If overviews are licensed as CC-By, then the Design &
> Response would both require attribution to be mentioned (hence the
> marketing or OSGeo-Live). It would also mean that a solution which makes
> use of Open Source would likely look more professional than if an author
> needed to recreate the material from scratch, and would also be more
> cost effective, which would in turn make Open Source based solutions
> more competitive in the market.
>
> If on the other hand, Project Overviews were Share Alike, then they
> would not be allowed to be included in these commercial-in-confidence
> documents. Hence no marketing.

In this instance where you are supplementing a quotation you could 
include the CC-BY-SA document since you are not creating and 
distributing 'derivative' works.

From...
http://creativecommons.org.au/learn-more/licences

CC BY
This licence lets others distribute, remix and build upon a work, even 
commercially, as long as they credit the original creator/s (and any 
other nominated parties). This is the most accommodating of the licences 
in terms of what others can do with the work.

CC BY-SA (* by SCC)
This licence lets others distribute, remix and build upon the work, even 
for commercial purposes, as long as they credit the original creator/s 
(and any other nominated parties) and *license any new creations based 
on the work under the same terms*. All new derivative works will carry 
the same licence, so will also allow commercial use.

In other words, you agree to share your materials with others, if they 
*will share their new works in return*. This licence is often compared 
to the free software licences, known as ‘copyleft.’

Based on this description, which is how I understand it, SA relates only 
to derivatives. In fact, the CC website has the following message 
highlighted in red and marked "important information"

"A licence cannot feature both the Share Alike and No Derivative Works 
options. The Share Alike requirement applies only to derivative works."

The last sentence states it all. Unless you intend to modify the Project 
Overviews or the potential client modify the Project Overviews you can 
include the document in the proposal.

Are there any other reasons?

-- 
Cheers Simon

    Simon Cropper
    Principal Consultant
    Botanicus Australia Pty Ltd
    PO Box 160, Sunshine, VIC
    W: www.botanicusaustralia.com.au



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