[OSM-legal-talk] Someone already had a look at the Bing Terms of Use?

[Rob Myers]

On 12/19/2010 02:40 PM, David Groom wrote:
> For the record
>
> 1) I accept that the Microsoft Licence[1] to use Bing imagery is an
> early version, and we have been told it will be revised
> 2) I suspect that Microsoft do intend that Bing imagery may be used to
> update OSM

Sure.

And I accept that it would be bad if the wording of anything interfered 
with that intent.

> However:
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Myers" <rob at robmyers.org>
>>
>> "Any updates you make to the OpenStreetMap map via the
>> Application (even if not published to third parties) must be
>> contributed back to openstreetmaps.org."
>
> Which is NOT the same as stating "Microsoft have directly stated that
> Bing imagery may be used to update OSM".

[Nicking Grant's link]

http://www.bing.com/community/site_blogs/b/maps/archive/2010/12/01/bing-maps-aerial-imagery-in-openstreetmap.aspx

"Microsoft is pleased to announce the royalty-free use of the Bing Maps 
Imagery Editor API, allowing the Open Street Map community to use Bing 
Maps imagery via the API as a backdrop to your OSM map editors."

The "OSM community" can use Bing maps imagery in OSM map editors, and 
that data "must be contributed back to" OSM.

I agree that Microsoft have not made a statement using the form of words 
that you are seeking. If this is causing uncertainty that is bad, and my 
experience is that redundant statements in licences can save a lot of 
argument.

But also I agree with Frederik that the current statements are good 
enough to be going on with. They contain permission to use the imagery, 
and *require* that the results be contributed to OSM.

- Rob.