[OSM-talk] A super quick poll

[OJ W]

On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 7:59 AM, Joseph Gentle <josephg at gmail.com> wrote:
> The public domain will benefit OSM.

What incentive would anyone have to add datasets to OSM if it were PD?
 Surely it would be easier and less risky for them to keep their own
work in a separate database and combine it with OSM later so they get
a better map than everyone else, hence competitive advantage. Why
would they bother to share their work unnecessarily?

Sharealike at least rewards people who create free data, by allowing
them access to more.  At the very least it isn't structured to
discourage* generation of free data

In this case, it isn't the 'PD license' itself but copyright law which
encourages selfish behaviour, and by pretending that nobody else cares
about copyright, PD shows itself as naive.