[OSM-legal-talk] Protection time of ODbL

[Richard Fairhurst]

Frederik Ramm wrote:
> For example if OSM user "n80" artfully crafts a way that doesn't 
> even exist and uploads it to OSM, then that way would perhaps 
> be protected by copyright in some jurisdictions, completely 
> independent of the database and whether or not it is substantial.

I think we need to get away from this OSM canard that trivial Easter eggs
(we'd spot and delete any non-trivial ones, of course) can be copyrighted or
otherwise protected.

People keep reciting it as if it's fact, but it smells of finest bullshit to
me - unless someone can actually point to chapter and verse in a major
jurisdiction where they might be copyrightable. They wouldn't be in the UK,
and UK copyright law is more draconian than pretty much anywhere else.

Easter eggs are there to swing the balance of proof in a case of suspected
infringement. Nothing more.

cheers
Richard
-- 
View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Protection-time-of-ODbL-tp25666837p25678041.html
Sent from the OpenStreetMap - Legal Talk mailing list archive at Nabble.com.