[Openstreetmap] Re: [Geowanking] freeing the postcode database

[Petter Reinholdtsen]

[Saul Albert]
> - Is it the postcode/geocode pair that's crown copyright, or the use
>   of the codes themselves? Is there any advice on this that you've
>   had that indicates that this approach would actually work legally?

I have no firm idea about UK copyright law, but can tell something
about the status here in Norway.  Here we have a database clause in
the authors rights law (we do not have copyright as such, the authors
rights law is similar).  The compilation of information might be
protected, even if the information contained within the database is
not.  That mean anyone can replicate the database by doing their work
putting the information together.  Simple facts are not protected, and
the postcode/geocode pair would be such fact.

I would be surprised if this is very different in England.  Trying to
copyright facts are so absurd that I suspect it is not possible even
in UK. :)