[OSM-legal-talk] The big license debate

[Mike Collinson]

At 10:19 AM 1/03/2007, Frederik Ramm wrote:
>Hi,
>
>>Core Requirements:
>>To provide a clear unambiguous framework (both legal and in terms 
>>of statement of intent) on a global basis in which to:
>>1) encourage private individuals to contribute geodata to OSM
>>2) encourage commercial entities to contribute geodata to OSM or 
>>otherwise assist OSM's objectives without charge
>[...]
>
>>Enough for now.  My questions to the list are:  Are these items 
>>non-contentious across the board of opinion?
>
>It's ok for me. However I see some holes between "private 
>individuals" and "commercial entities"; there are also "individuals 
>acting for their own commercial gain", and "non-commercial 
>entities", to name but two.
>
>I say this because this duality - private happy campers on one side, 
>global-galactic commercial empires on the other - seems to be in 
>many heads and it actually hurts the debate. Individuals acting for 
>their commercial gain are probably a potent and highly creative 
>group, and if the manner in which we treat them is based on the 
>vision of a multi billion pound commercial empire, things go awry.

Good point. Here is a revision.

Core Requirements:

To provide a clear unambiguous framework (both legal and in terms of 
statement of intent) on a global basis in which to:

1) encourage private individuals to contribute geodata to OSM

2) encourage the various types of commercial entities (private 
entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises, small to medium enterprises, 
large corporations) to contribute geodata to OSM or otherwise assist 
OSM's objectives without charge

3) disseminate geodata as raw data or as a rendered maps with as 
little restriction or requirements on use as possible.  Any 
restriction/requirements on use should only be such as to support the 
first two requirements.

Desirable:

4) promote "OpenStreetMap" as a brand to create maximum awareness 
that an important non-commercial alternative exists.

5) maintain "OpenStreetMap" over many years as the primary source, 
i.e. avoid project splits