[okfn-discuss] PSI click to CC-BY-SA compatibility

Thu Jul 2 16:58:21 UTC 2009

2009/7/2 Joseph Seddon <joseph.seddon at wikimedia.org.uk>:
> Heya guys,
>
> This is my first post to the list :) Hope we can have some great successes
> with WMUK and OKFN working together :)
>
> I wanted to ask whether UK PSI click use content is compatible and easily
> convertible to a CC-BY-SA license.

My basic feeling is: yes. See:

<http://www.opendefinition.org/licenses/ukpsi>

The only issue would be a) the fact you must get a click-use license
(it would be preferable if this were automatic -- and I think they are
moving that way ...) b) the obligations under section 9 (which are
reproduced at above link). These are generally innocuous and focused
on you not "passing" your derivative material off as official (which
is sort of similar to the provisions in the CC licenses).

However niggling items like 9.4 (reproduce Material accurately from
the current Official Source except where you make it clear that there
is a more up to date version available;) could, possibly, be
problematic re CC by-sa.

In summary: in spirit the answer would seem a definite yes.

In practice likely also yes though one may have to check about those
pesky section 9 items

> One of the directors at Wikimedia UK had a meeting with Richard Stirling
> from the cabinet office about crown copyright and we are currently lobbying
> them to ensure that PSI licensed content is useable on wikimedia projects.
> This particularly revoles around the compatibility with CCBYSA. Not only
> will this benefit us, but everyone, in and out of the UK.

Good stuff. The major issue to lobby on, if any, are those clauses in section 9.

Rufus