[OSM-legal-talk] Google MapMaker and OSM data...

[Richard Weait]

On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 1:12 PM, Eric Jarvies <eric at csl.com.mx> wrote:
> On Sep 7, 2010, at 10:02 AM, Richard Weait wrote:

>> Also, as more data sets are opening up it is possible that Map Maker
>> and OSM editors are using similar sources.
>
> Yes, I understand this and the context you are explaining it in.  But how does this apply to the edit I made to the OSM data?  This edit was not some recently made available source that was provided to OSM, Google, and others, it was a just a newbee screw up by yours truly, that resulted in a very unique and deliberate edit to an existing OSM coastline, that subsequently ended up in Google's data, as is clearly(to me) being rendered now.  I was just shocked to see that Google had inherited my screwed up edit of an existing OSM coastline, and that shock turned into interest, which is why I asked here if they are now using OSM data.  In short, there really is no other 'similar source' in this case... they either got the coastline/way directly from OSM, or got it from someone else who got it directly from OSM.

Dear Eric,

It is hard for me to say what happened.  What you describe above does
make it sound like a GMM contributor used OSM as a source after your
edit, but before you repaired it.  If I haven't overlooked something;
perhaps a GMM contributor made the same newbee mistake?  And if there
is no other innocent explanation; you didn't make the edit on GMM
yourself did you? ;-)  Then 80n's description above is correct.
Infringement is much more likely to be a result of ignorance rather
than malice.  It is still infringement but it might best be resolved
with a please and thank you than with a nasty-gram.

I do still recommend that you share the location and details with
OSMers you trust with more experience than you have; you did describe
yourself as a newbee.

You might, as 80n described, decide to pursue this with GMM yourself.
I'd probably try to reach the GMM contributor who made that edit, if
that information is available.  Or, you may decide to ask somebody
else in the community to do that for you.  Perhaps somebody at your
local OSM meetups, mapping parties or local chapter.  Or you can
report this to the Data Working Group though they prefer if you have
made some initial attempt at contact on your own.  If GMM does not
provide a method to contact editors, the idea of contacting Google Map
Mapker as a whole does sound a bit daunting.

I think your point about not publishing the location is worth
considering.  In past, other contributors have provided links to
examples.  That might make an interesting discussion on this list
outside of the context of this specific edit.