[OSM-legal-talk] ODbl and collective databases

David Groom reviews at pacific-rim.net
Mon Jul 11 23:29:05 BST 2011


The ODbL  defines a "Collective Database" as  " this Database in unmodified 
form as part of a collection of independent databases in themselves that 
together are assembled into a collective whole."

Now I had assumed that as far as the above definition was concerned that:

"Database" meant "Database as defined by the ODbL; and
"unmodified form"  meant that the Database had not been modified.

In posting to the talk-au list I have been told that my interpretation is 
incorrect.  Specifically "Database" could mean "Database" or "Derivative 
Database", and "unmodified form" is a merely a clarification of 
"independent" and does not mean unmodified.  On this basis a "collective 
Database" would then be defined as "This Database, or Derivative Database in 
independent form as part of a collection of independent databases in 
themselves that together are assembled into a collective whole" .

This seems to be quite different to my interpretation, and it would be good 
to have some clarification, as the definition is quite fundamental to a 
number of use cases of OSM data.

Regards

David







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