[OSM-talk] Why doesn't OSM implement a simple measure to protect it's users and passwords?

[Matt Amos]

On Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 8:27 PM, Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Florian Lohoff wrote:
>>> Um, if you are nervous about others knowing that you participate in this
>>> project, then why do you do it? Is there an establishment out there that has
>>> an interest in preventing you from doing this?
>>
>> Would Teleatlas, Navteq, Google, AND, Ordnance Survey like their employees
>> participate in Open Mapping projects?
>
> I would not want these employees to participate in OpenStreetMap during
> their working hours and from their office computers because more likely
> than not this would make the respective company a copyright/license
> holder in the data they produce, and thus render any license granted to
> OSM by the individual worthless.

in the UK, its not such a great idea for TA/NT employees to contribute
outside of work either...

"Even if the work is created by the employee in their own time and
using their own resources, the employee will not necessarily be able
to claim any rights in that work, if the employer shows that the
nature of the work created was that which could be reasonably
contemplated as part of the employee’s duties. This is demonstrated by
the case of Missing Link Software v Magee [1989]." [1,2]

cheers,

matt

[1] http://www.unitetheunion.com/member_services/legal_help/employment_issues/intellectual_property_works.aspx
[2] http://www.lawdit.co.uk/reading_room/room/view_article.asp?name=../articles/13-APR-%283%29-CR-EMPS-.htm