[OSM-legal-talk] ODbL modules?

[Andrew Turner]

Hi - I apologize for not being completely up to speed on the work and
direction of the ODbL. However based on some brief discussions with
various people involved it seems as though a particular issued isn't
being addressed.

The ODbL is seeking to clarify the meaning of putting an open license
on data, being somewhat of the Creative Commons for data. This is an
incredibly useful effort.

One thing that has made Creative Commons incredibly successful is the
modularity of the various components: Attribution, Share-Alike,
Non-Commercial, etc. This makes it possible to easily convey the
overall terms of the license, and specific clauses of the different
modules. Users that apply the license, and users of the licensed
works, can easily discern the meaning and implications of these
modules.

I am hoping the same will be applied to the ODbL. In fact, the same
split of modules should be possible as by CC.

The problem with not doing this, is the generic term of "Open Database
License" that may in fact have specific clauses about share-alike,
attribution, etc. won't be readily apparent. And anyone that may want
to apply a different license to their particular data will be forced
to create a whole new license, a large economic and social cost, and
will also create confusion around these various open data licenses.
(e.g. imagine it being called the "Public Database License", or
"Sharing Data License".)

In addition, the combination of data under these various licenses can
be more clearly, and early, determined so it's possible to pull in,
say, ODbL-Attribution into ODbL-ShareAlike-Attribution. This would
greatly help the OSM effort of pulling in other datasets, or others
knowing how they can use OSM data in their own.

Please let me know if this is already something that is going to be
part of the first ODbL or how we can make that happen.

Thanks!
Andrew


-- 
Andrew Turner
mobile: 248.982.3609
andrew at fortiusone.com
http://highearthorbit.com

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