[OSM-talk] Users whose contributions are in the public domain

[Mike Collinson]

At 01:33 PM 4/05/2008, Ari Torhamo wrote:
>la, 2008-05-03 kello 17:39 -0400, Ted Mielczarek kirjoitti:
>
>> Why else are we contributing
>> this data if not for people to *use* it?
>
>I suggest you go and present this breath taking argument to RMS, and we
>might soon get an updated, more free version of GPL.
>
>Ari

The GPL works very well as it already allows folks to *use* software with no restriction on what they make with that use.  

Adding something new to GPL software source code is clearly different from using existing GPL software to do something new.  That distinction is far from clear when using collations of facts like OSM data.  So a different model is required.  The PD argument is a very easy and elegant solution, but it makes some contributors very uncomfortable.   The new license being worked on seeks to make a, hopefully, comprehensible distinction for factual data.  

Mike