[OSM-talk] Mountain names - an interesting copyright issue

[Nick Black]

On 6/27/06, Emil Vaughan <emil79 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> In a similiar vein, what about street names from memory? I know many
> street names but I can't remember whether I first learned about them
> through maps, street signs or word-of-mouth.
>
> Of course, the OS's position that they can copyright facts is
> ludicrous, but I see we have to go along with it as they have more
> money for lawyers.



They aren't really trying to copywright facts anymore than any print
publisher are copyrighting facts, but I get your point.


This is quite an interesting point, though it has been discussed here
before.  I would think that a court would draw a distinction between
someones inate knowledge and a breach of copywright.  Its my understanding
that as a student, if I write some software and sell it for millions the
university has no right to any cut of my profits, dispite the fact
that I learned everything using software and resources provided by the
unversity.

SImilarly, I could download OS data from Edina and use it for accademic work
perfectly legally.  Through my work I might accidentaly learn the names of
some POIs.  How could anyone prove where I got that tacit knowledge
from, and how could I be expected to forget and relearn what I knew?  I
would hope that some form of common sense would prevail, but who knows.
 When OSMF gets off the ground the our lawyers are going to be pretty
bussy...

Nick

Emil
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