[OSM-talk] Results from license debate - assing (c) to OSMF

[Tom Chance]

On Tuesday 17 July 2007 16:37:41 Robert (Jamie) Munro wrote:
> The problem is that when we later want to allow FreeThePostcode/NPEMaps
> to derive data but make the derived data Public domain, we can't do that
> without mailing all 9000 contributors again, and getting them to agree
> again. We then get a different subset of the data that FreeThePostcode
> can use from the data that people can use and not attribute all authors,
> and it just gets horrible.
>
> I don't think we can ask the community twice, which means that we must
> ask the community for all rights to go to the foundation, which means
> that the majority of the community must trust the foundation, which
> means that we need to make the foundation open and accountable, which
> means we need to improve the web site for it (and not just mention the
> foundation on the wiki).

I agree with this, and I'm thankful to Steve for clarifying his intentions in 
the short term. We're far from the quixotic "benevolent" dictatorships of 
some other projects, which is great :)

To stay with the simple, short steps approach, here are some suggestions:


1 - Document the OSMF properly somewhere, with the articles and/or memorandum 
of association, minutes from board meetings and any other info, so we all 
know where we stand at the mo and everyone can be satisfied that the OSMF is 
open and accountable;

2 - Research the options with attribution and the OSMF, and write up the 
results somewhere;

3- Email every contributor inviting them to join the OSMF and open a simple 
online pledge+vote for assigning rights to the OSMF as per step 2, assuming 
it's possible and desirable. Only members may vote & pledge;

4 - When someone creates an OSM account, let them know about joining the OSMF. 
Whenever an OSMF decision is to be made, notify this list that people should 
join the OSMF to vote/participate. Don't keep emailing the contributors as a 
matter of course;

5 - Research and experiment with democratic structures, with a firm pledge 
from the OSMF board that any more major decisions will at the very least be 
put to a vote of the membership.


This doesn't involve any significant extra work for the board and wider 
community, but sets us on a path that should lead to community cohesion and 
less tension.

What do people - especially the OSMF board - think?

Kind regards,
Tom

-- 
| Green Party Speaker on Intellectual Property and Free Software |
| http://tom.acrewoods.net    ::    http://www.greenparty.org.uk |