[odc-discuss] Allow more time: license is not for OSM data only

[Rufus Pollock]

2009/3/5 Niccolo Rigacci <niccolo at rigacci.org>:
> Hi,
>
> I'm following the license debate from its very beginning. Despite
> the long time, now I feel a little pressed by the thight
> schedule.

Quite understandable. I think it will indeed be necessary to allow
more time. I think we had hoped to have the license publicly available
earlier. Unfortunately discussions with OSM's lawyer and OSM board
prior to the public release for comments took longer than anticipated.

[snip]

> The Italian Geographic Free and Open Source Software association
> (GFOSS.it) is long looking for a suitable license for geodata.
> We think that the main hurdle to freeing most of the geodata
> owned by our public administration is the lack of a clear and
> well accepted license.
>
> Several time we thought that whould be nice to hire a lawyer and
> let him to write a suitable license.

I would point out that there is already one ODC 'open data' license at
v1.0, the Public Domain Dedication and License:

<http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/>

I would also mention that earlier versions of this license have been
available since late 2007 but obviously didn't receive wide enough
publicity :)

> Consider that almost no feedback about the new license appeared
> till now on the talk-it list, and no evidence at all on the gfoss
> mailing list.
>
> The importance of a license well suited to all geodata is far
> beyond the debate of what percentage of OSM data we will lost in
> the transition.

I quite agree. And this isn't just a license for geodata: ODC licenses
are intended to be usable by many other communities (e.g. Libraries,
Science etc).

> I suggest to revise the schedule, to allow a more wide debate. We
> don't need a license for OSM data, we need a license for free
> data.

If more time is needed it will be provided. At the same time having a
deadline is a good way of encouraging people to be prompt in getting
their comments together! I'd also encourage people to give their
comments as specific as possible and to include suggestions for
modified language wherever possible.

I'd also point out that it will be possible upgrade the license (a
v2.0 if you like) though that is not likely to happen that quickly
after a v1.0 release.

Rufus