[OSM-legal-talk] Yahoo and OSM

[Mikel Maron]

My most respected mapping brethren,

I'm as disappointed as anyone that the Yahoo plugin was not acceptable to Yahoo. However, they have always clearly stated that use of their imagery must be through the API. That goes for anyone using Yahoo maps. The Yahoo plugin was an an extremley clever edge case that needed to be explored .. all matters aren't understood a priori. And Yahoo decided that technically this violated their terms of use...

"YOU SHALL NOT store or allow end users to store map imagery, map data or geocoded
location information from the Yahoo! Maps APIs for any future use;"

As picky an interpretation as this is, I take it as a good sign. Yahoo takes all our questions and use with serious consideration.

Since the agreement in the fall, a number of issues have come up, many wider than simply the yahoo imagery. Just take a look at the Legal FAQ. There are now meetings being set up with CC associated lawyers for advice on these questions. One very very useful thing would be for someone to condense the Legal FAQ into a concise document summarizing our positions and questions for discussion.  And for Yahoo specific issues, there will be a discussion there as well. For Yahoo specific questions, please summarize those as well on the wiki. 

Even though there are open questions, I suggest that we can continue as we have confidently. OSM continues on even with the outstanding questions about attribution, etc. The use of Yahoo imagery can continue as well. The spirit of what we are doing is sound, there are only particulars which need sorting out.

Best,
Mikel