[OSM-legal-talk] [talk] New site about the license change

[Frederik Ramm]

Kevin,

kevin at cordina.org.uk wrote:
> The difference in my mind between the CTs and the ODbL is the
> provision that allows the license to be changed at a later date,
> potentially without further approval of the license.  I don't believe
> this in ODbL.

The CT allow the changeover to any other free and open license under the 
conditions that (clause 3)

* the OSMF decides to do it
* a 2/3 majority of active mappers are in favour.

That's quite a lot of "further approval" I should think. ODbL in itself 
has an upgrade clause, too; it allows derived databases (including of 
course a complete copy) to be licensed under (section 4.4)

* ODbL 1.0,
* a later version of ODbL "similar in spirit" to ODbL 1.0,
* a license compatible to ODbL 1.0.

Now who exactly decides when to issue a "later version of ODbL" or what 
makes a license "compatible" isn't made explicit, but I think it is safe 
to say that an upgrade along that path would be possible with a lot less 
eyes watching than an upgrade under the upgrade per clause 3 of the CT!

Bye
Frederik

-- 
Frederik Ramm  ##  eMail frederik at remote.org  ##  N49°00'09" E008°23'33"