[OSM-talk] post boxes and collection times

[Andy Allan]

On Nov 22, 2007 12:02 AM, Robin Paulson <robin.paulson at gmail.com> wrote:
> this is actually a bigger question than it first appears: for example,
> a lot of organisations - some public, some private (banks, police
> forces, supermarkets) provide locations lists on their websites. are
> there any legal issues with using these;

Yes, of course there are.

> can a location be
> copyrighted?

A database can, which is what you're discussing.

> does anyone's business become damaged by us using the
> data?

Yes. The royal mail can make a mint by licensing this data to mapping
companies; similar issues arise for train timetables.

>if the data is copyrighted to, for example, the police
> force/government, do they lose anything by us re-publishing the data?

Yes, they lose the opportunity to make money from it.

But any more indepth legal discussions should, of course, be carried
out on legal-talk.

Cheers,
Andy