[OSM-talk] Dual/Multiple licencing

[John Smith]

2009/12/14 Brendan Morley <morb.gis at beagle.com.au>:
> I've seen the links and I trust I'm clear on what the LWP is up to. However
> that's not what I signed up for, to be honest. I mean it's an
> "OpenStreetMap" not a CopyleftMap or anything that unambiguous. I got sold
> on the blurb on that wiki page and didn't really notice the "SA fine print".
> Maybe I should have, but why would I if the large print promised to address
> "holding back people from using them in creative, productive, or unexpected
> ways"? SA still holds them back somewhat.

I disagree, it doesn't hold you back from any of those uses, it just
requires you give back if you make changes, and so if you don't make
changes to the data there is no limitation on what you can do with it,
or how you can use it, and so on.

> So why not put a wall down the middle of the house and protect that with a
> proper lock if you like, and leave the other half open for visitors to
> freely use "in creative, productive, or unexpected ways" with as little
> friction as possible?

Lets not mix 2 issues up into one big ball, there is no limitations on
using said house, however if you want to extend the house that's a
different matter, the neighbours might want to copy the blueprints so
they can build a similar extension and so the knowledge is passed on
rather than hoarded.

> It is made by people like you." So, cool, I assume free as in "information
> wants to be free" and then (apologies to the wiki homepage), "I want to edit

Free as in beer, free as in speech, free as in able to hoard other
peoples wealth to extend your own... the word free is often misused
intentionally by PR people, just like the word trust is, but that is
another matter for another soap box.

> I can appreciate that the founders definitely intended sharelike/copyleft
> principles. But IMHO it's certainly not marketed as a feature to fresh
> recruits!

Again, lets not confuse 2 issues here, are you talking about using, or
extending, I assume the latter, but the former has no intended
restrictions.