[Openstreetmap] The bigger picture

[Tom Carden]

On 2/14/06, Immanuel Scholz <immanuel.scholz at gmx.de> wrote:
> Hi Tom,
>
> >> I am very confident, that if the current OSM server would only allow
> >> some commercial access, an other server mirror with free access would be
> >> set up in no time ;-)
> >
> > But what if the commercial access I'm talking about is to *services*
> > and *features* independent of the data?  Like a proprietary piece of
> > code which produces nicely formatted maps, for example?  The data can
> > go elsewhere, you're right, but that's not what I'm talking about.
>
> I would call the nice maps that such a software creates out of the data a
> "derrived work" for sure, right? So no problem here, as long as the maps
> are under CC-SA too. OSM can try to sell them.
>
> If you plan to release the source code of the generator, don't be
> surprised when other people (like me) show up and provide the very same
> service for free. I don't see a very good commercial potential here... :-/
>

And if you do that, and OSM folds because its own supporters disrupt
its attempts to be self-sufficient... don't be surprised!

Anyway, if my point is that people - including the OSM project itself
- are perfectly entitled to charge for things based off the current
OSM license.  Nothing anywhere says it has to be free as in beer.

Now the *spirit* of the project is that these things will be free
wherever possible, and I don't see that going away for the foreseeable
future.  It's not impossible though.  I'm not psychic, but I'm
certainly not going to rule it out.

>
> In fact, currently I think the only "cool" way to get to money are
> donations. The acceptance of this could be greatly improved, if there
> would be more transparence. How much money is needed, why is it needed,
> where the money will be spent, how this will improve the server and how
> much improvement is to be excpected.

And is it sustainable?  Would it work once a year?  What about every 6
months?  Are you going to do Steve's taxes for him?  What do people
get for their money?  What can they reasonably expect?  Is the burden
on the recipients of the money fair?  etc. etc.

> I know, I know, this is a boring
> job.. so probably not done anyway.. ;)
>
> If donations don't get enought money, we need to change the software so it
> use not that much resources until donations are enough. ;-)

Please do!  What changes would you make, and can you make the case
that those features aren't necessary?

Tom.