[OSM-talk] open data

[Andy Robinson]

I'm in support of Richard's arguments and Steve's summary that OSM and other
open source data providers do not currently have an appropriate licence for
data (as distinct from software and art creativity).

It became evidently clear in a discussion with a gentleman from the OS a few
days back that OSM's current licence is restricting the sort of potential
that might come with working with other organisations to enhance and expand
the usefulness of OSM data.

Don't be fooled in any way. OSM data is of course of great interest to many
organisations, although its immaturity at this stage of the proceedings will
limit its real-world use by any organisation for a long time to come. But it
can and should work the other way too. For instance the OS would benefit
greatly if OSMers contributed data from the countryside to keep their maps
up to date. The OS does not have sufficient surveyor capacity anymore to go
out and gather some of the data needed to keep footpath maps up to date for
instance.

I'm not for one minute trying to suggest that OSM should be doing the OS's
work for free. What I am suggesting is that with organisations like the OS
involved in OSM and contributing something to it, financial support or free
data into the OSM pot for instance, then we have something of value to
everyone.

Under the current OSM licence there is no realistic opportunity for the OS
to get involved as a partner with OSM. I believe we need to change that
since in my view we are not about creating a stand alone object. OSM data
should be working within the established cartography industry as much as it
works outside it with new "cartographers" creating new and exciting maps.

At the moment, the OSM data feels as shacked as the commercial proprietary
data that sits out there. The only difference is that we have opened the
gate to enable access for free. It does not necessarily give us greater
freedom to do interesting things with that data.

Organisations like the OS need to be encouraged to contribute data or
financial support to open source data projects like OSM. As I see it the
current licence restricts the ability to mix and match from different data
sources to be creative without tarring everything, and everything beyond it
in perpetuity, with the OSM licence.

Is that what open geodata is about, making sure that the name OSM
proliferates through everything. I think not.

Hopefully I have not offended to many of my fellow OSM'ers in this post.  I
appreciate these are contentious issues for many.

Cheers

Andy


Andy Robinson
Andy_J_Robinson at blueyonder.co.uk 

>-----Original Message-----
>From: talk-bounces at openstreetmap.org [mailto:talk-
>bounces at openstreetmap.org] On Behalf Of SteveC
>Sent: 20 September 2006 6:47 AM
>To: talk at openstreetmap.org
>Subject: [OSM-talk] open data
>
>Far be it for me to start a license war, but this might be an
>interesting read:
>
>http://www.systemed.net/blog/entry060919233313.html
>
>have fun,
>
>SteveC steve at asklater.com http://www.asklater.com/steve/
>
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>talk at openstreetmap.org
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