[talk-au] Copyright questions

[John Smith]

2010/1/5 Richard Colless <firefly at ar.com.au>:
> The issue of copying names from a street directory is very similar. The
> publishers of the directory hold copyright over the graphic layout of the
> map, but they cannot hold copyright over the street names themselves. Those

That's assuming what they printed is correct, mapping companies have
lots of errors in their maps, some errors are intentional to catch
copyright infringements.

Only councils (or developers or the street signs) would actually have
original authoritative information on the street names.

> names are in the public domain. If you look up a street name in the
> directory, then you now know that name. If you then use it to name a street

The Telstra case of their copyright on white pages here would be
relevant, and to a lesser extent from what I understand the IceTV
ruling, however unless you are willing to personally fund an OSM
defence fund why risk everyone else's work over it?

> So if all you need is street names,use whatever published source you wish.
> Just make sure that you only get street names. And whatever you do, don't
> advertise it, or discuss it in forums. There are always some smart-arse
> lawyers out there, and none of us really needs to defend our actions in
> court, even though there is a strong legal basis to do so.

Even by suggesting this you are risking legal action by the very same lawyers.