[okfn-discuss] Open Data "Licence"

Mon Oct 22 11:42:47 UTC 2007

peter murray-rust wrote:
> I have written an invited article for Nature on "Open Chemistry" and 

That's great news Peter!

> as part of it said that we have tagged data with the OKFN OpenData 
> licence. The editor replied that although he had looked at the OKFN 

At present the open definition site http://opendefinition.org/ just 
provides an open knowledge/data definition but does *not* provide a 
specific "OKFN OpenData" license. However there is a list of conformant 
licenses on:

http://opendefinition.org/licenses/

This is like the Open Source Definition which provides a list of 
conformant licenses but doesn't make licenses itself.

To properly license your material you'd need to pick one of those 
licenses listed (preferably one that explicitly deals with DB rights) 
and then apply it in the usual manner (e.g. put it on your website and 
state clearly what material is covered, or include it in the root of 
your distribution tar.gz).

Just putting the open data web button on your page is obviously a strong 
indicator that you the material is 'open data' but is not in itself an 
actual license (at least I don't think so -- the lawyers here might be 
able to clarify).

> site he couldn't find the licence. Maybe I have used the wrong term, 
> but otherwise perhaps it could be highlighted?

Yes, perhaps we should state this more clearly on the website 
(especially on the web buttons page).

~rufus