[OSM-talk] open data

[Robert Hart]

> 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.


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

As a relative OSM noobie, I've kept quiet about licensing issues, but as
somebody who's been around open-source for a while, and seen many projects
fail, or at least become irrelevant because of the *wrong* license, it was
my first question about OSM (this was in Café Nero in Bath - I think it was
Nick W who answered), and I was surprised at the answer.

I cannot overstate how important it is to get the license right *now* before
it is too late.

Whilst I understand the desire for attribution, I don't think it is helpful
to try and force that attribution all the time. Whilst there are many people
who are more than happy to use something without credit, I think the people
we really care about will credit us, even when not required to. I have had
several conversations with people that end "So if you still have the
equivalent of Crown Copyright in the corner, what's the point?"

Rob


 


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