Posted by
Russell McOrmond-2 on
Mar 02, 2006; 5:42pm
URL: http://civicaccess.416.s1.nabble.com/Re-OSGeo-Board-Bylaws-posted-tp309p324.html
Daniel wrote:
> The main ideas when writing the PGL (Public Geodata License) was to:
> 1) reproduce the success of free software with free geodata. So we
> choose to adapt a GPL-like license.
I assume by this you mean the "Share and Share alike" aspects, also
known as "CopyLeft".
I am wondering how hard it has been to get community buy-in for these
clauses, and how much of a push there was for
non-Copyleft/non-Sharealike terms (IE: BSD-style ).
I ask this as there is considerable misinformation about these
concepts, with some of the incumbents in this field using incompatible
meanings of the term "CopyLeft" to create FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and
Doubt) about Copyleft/ShareAlike clauses by falsely attributing them to
anti-creator ideologies. I believe there will be considerable push-back
from policy people on these types of clauses because of the FUD they
have been receiving.
I believe this will make it just that much harder to get civic
information out of governments in a way that is both fully collaborative
(peer production, peer distribution) but that also isn't seen as
subsidizing the private sector. ShareAlike clauses are the ideal
solution to this, if ideology doesn't stand in the way.
Canadian Example of the problems in the debate:
Repositioning Creators’ Rights In The Digital World
http://creatorscopyright.ca/documents/crean-jones/rcridw.htmlSusan Crean is the co-president of the "Creators Rights Alliance", while
Virginia Jones is a lawyer for Access Copyright, an old-media publisher
dominated collective society. I've debated both in various public
events.
http://www.flora.ca/creators/
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/node/1061 In this document they have redefined "CopyLeft", creating a new term
"copyleftists":
"Copyleft was the result, dubbed in counter distinction to copyright
owners, or content providers, who are variously characterized as
Copyright Maximalists, Copyright warriors, and dinosaurs."
The "CopyLeft" movement is actually a creators' right movement,
started by and for authors and other creators. We just happen to have
policy opinions different from the incumbent "copyright holder" groups
as to what the threats to creators' rights are, and what the remedies
need to be.
The two branches of the creators' rights movement.
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/node/1963--
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <
http://www.flora.ca/>
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