[OSM-talk] The License Change

80n 80n80n at gmail.com
Wed Aug 11 13:43:26 BST 2010


Steve Coast has observed that there is dissent in the community.  What he
ignored was the cause.  The elephant in the room is obviously the license
change.

It's inevitable that there will be disagreement about anything to do with
licensing.  If not handled correctly then it will poison the community and
damage the project.  I've been saying this for some time, and it's clear
that this is happening.  Some people are becoming uncivil and others are
losing heart.  Attempting to censor this dissent will not make the problem
go away.

The proponents of ODbL think they have a done deal.  They have a plan and
are following it.  The opponents see some elements of that plan that are
underhand and undemocratic or don't think it suits them.  It's easy for
everyone pick a side in this fight but it doesn't help to resolve the real
issue.

While the license change process continues it is easy to see that there will
be continual damage to the project.  Something that everyone wants to avoid.

I'm calling here, now, for a rapid resolution of the license change.
Letting it drag on indefinitely is not a solution.  Forcing the change
through by levering the advantages of control is not a solution either.

There needs to be an immediate vote, open to the whole community, about how
to proceed.  Whichever way the vote goes there will inevitably be a fork in
the project.  Let's get this dirty business resolved as quickly as possible
so that we can all go back to doing what we love as quickly as possible.

80n
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