OpenStreetMap contemplates licensing

Posted Oct 23, 2008 11:45 UTC (Thu) by spaetz (guest, #32870)
In reply to: OpenStreetMap contemplates licensing by k3ninho
Parent article: OpenStreetMap contemplates licensing

> Consider a map: it is a mapping to paper of a physical layout, and there are a number of known and popular projections when mapping the surface of a planet to flat paper.

We are not talking about not being able to copyright the map. Of course a map is copyrightable. The choice of colors and other issues makes it an expression of creativity.

The database that contains those "facts" is a different beast though. It is just that: a collection of facts. And copyright does not apply to facts.

Fact & precision ? Multiple contributors ?

Posted Oct 27, 2008 17:29 UTC (Mon) by lacostej (guest, #2760) [Link]

Some ideas that probably mean not much...

How precise need a fact to be so that it becomes a fact ? The GPS positionning is precise up to a certain limit. Plus there are potential issues (hardware, user errors, etc..) that make the data in the database unique.

Think about a group of painters trying to reproduce a landscape, each with different tools. Althought the end result might be very similar to the reality (the facts), it could be slightly different enough to be seen as a creation. Futhermore, as the work is always in progress and uses so many contributors make it a special case. It's not like the creation was directed/controlled and the current result (a sub set of the reality) is some sort of community art. Or do we need changes in the law to manage those community gathered 'facts' ?

Finally: what about using colors to represent the GPS positions ? :) Or losing some precision/introducing small errors voluntarily in order to make the result a creation ?