[Talk-GB] OS OpenData now OGL

Robert Whittaker (OSM lists) robert.whittaker+osm at gmail.com
Wed Feb 18 13:52:11 UTC 2015


On 18 February 2015 at 00:04, Rob Nickerson <rob.j.nickerson at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 17 February 2015 at 23:57, Matthijs Melissen <info at matthijsmelissen.nl>
> wrote:
>> I could imagine that OGL-3 has imported OS ODL's clause on
>> sublicensing that caused incompatibility with ODbL, which would make
>> OGL-3 incompatible with ODbL.Do we have confirmation that this is not
>> the case, i.e. that OGL-3 and ODbL are compatible?
>
> All the OGL versions are online. A comparison of v2 and v3 shows nothing to
> worry me. Hopefully Robert W will chip in as he's clued up on all this.
>
> Version 3:
> http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
>
> Version 2:
> http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/2/

I haven't re-read them recently, but as far as I know OGL 3 is fine
for use in OSM. In particular, it says:

"These terms are compatible with the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 and the Open Data Commons Attribution License, both of
which license copyright and database rights. This means that when the
Information is adapted and licensed under either of those licences,
you automatically satisfy the conditions of the OGL when you comply
with the other licence. "

The ODbL is essentially just a stricter version of the Open Data
Commons Attribution License (ODB-By), so if it's ok to use OGL stuff
under ODC-By, then it's also ok under ODbL.

On 18 February 2015 at 12:47, Dave F. <davefox at madasafish.com> wrote:
> What benefits for OSM, especially end users (ie mappers adding nodes & ways)
> will this bring? Will there be extra OS products we can use? or use existing
> one in new ways?

In the immediate future, it won't have much effect, since we already
had separate permission to use all but one of the OS Open Data
products. The exception was CodePoint Open. Once OS updates their
licence page (http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/licensing/using-creating-data-with-os-products/os-opendata.html
still refers to the OS OpenData Licence) then we should be able to
make use of CodePoint Open too.

The OS OpenData Licence is also used by Local Authorities and other
Public Bodies when licensing Geographic Data that's been derived from
OS Products under a Public Sector Mapping Agreement exemption. The
licence has prevented the use of this data in OSM up to this point. I
would imagine that the announcement from OS means that the licence
they allow third parties to release OS-derived data under will also
change to the OGL. But at the moment, it's not clear if or how this
will happen, and whether it will be retrospectively applied to
previous releases. I've contacted OS to ask about this
(https://twitter.com/rjw62/status/567741494686384128), and hope to
receive a reply shortly.

Robert.

-- 
Robert Whittaker



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