[OSM-legal-talk] legal FAQ license

[Rob Myers]

On 10/14/2010 07:42 AM, Frederik Ramm wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Richard Weait wrote:
>> Is there some OSM contribution or edit that is so mechanical and/or so
>> insignificant that it need never be considered for copyright or
>> database right?
>
> Any edit made by a robot - e.g. one that fixes spelling mistakes -
> certainly qualifies for "never be considered for copyright" because
> copyright needs humans to do something; I'm not sure about database
> right though.

Further to Francis's points (and he's too kind to the test for 
originality in the UK, it is *incredibly* low ;-) ), bear in mind that 
his Mandelbrot Set example holds even if he's written a bot or daemon to 
create images while he's asleep. A human being always, ultimately, 
causes software to be run.

- Rob.