[OSM-talk] Illegal activity

[David Earl]

On 30/10/2009 14:38, Kirill Bestoujev wrote:
> Oh my God!!!!
> 
> It is terrible!!!
> 
> We all gona die!!!!!
> 
> 
> What is the problem? Did Google just once start a trial agains anyone 
> using GM images in violation of ToS? Just once?
> 
> No. Why? They really don't care. Look at wikimapia. Don't the violate GM 
> ToS for several years? They do. Why doesn't Google close them? Could you 
> explain???
> 

That's not the point. The whole basis of OSM is that it is from 
copyright free and permitted sources. While individuals might not care 
and infringe G's terms wildly, companies aren't going to use our data 
for serious applications unless they can trust they aren't going to get 
slapped with a lawsuit from one of the richest companies in the world 
(or any other aggrieved party).

There's simply no point in doing what we;re doing unless we do it 
properly. You might as well use Google maps in the first place. Whether 
G defend their terms or not is irrelevant.

David