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OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

blog.osmfoundation.org

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Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#121

Post by rmc »

flyt wrote: post #93
ElliotH wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I think it's quite messed up that a company as rich as Apple can't abide putting credits for people who have put some really good work in (I've even made small updates to OSM in my time) I do think that this is a very classy move by the OSM people, no ranting blog post or 'Apple stole our stuff', welcoming people presents a much better image of the project.

If OpenStreetMap ends up like the KHTML -> WebKit ascendancy then things could be very good for their team in the future.

Apples and Oranges. There are many web browsers. If you want a wiki map data, there is only OSM. Unless you have lots of money to licence other data, and can put up with their flaws (not as up to date as OSM, less detailed in some way etc.), OSM is the only horse in town.

This is great for OSM because it's starting to show how it's a real player, not just as as "open source map data", but "map data", i.e. it's competiting with the big, non-open source, map data providers now.

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#122

Post by lotu »

ticks wrote: post #10
sdoering wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that, that if Apple ignores credit/copyright (on a massive scale), that everybody loves their move. But if anybody would rip of an Apple product, the descendants of mighty Steve would come raining down with swords, axes and lawyers. Do you really think they did it, to support OSM. Or should I ask myself: "Where is the money?" The money, they do not have to pay Google anymore for the use of maps, while not cred…

Better to approach these things positively, than assume the worst case and risk creating resentment.

It is also unrealistic to assume the worst. It is more likely that attribution slipped though the cracks then it is that the Apple executives made a conscious decision to not include attribution in violation of the license.

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#123

Post by bergie »

SoftwareMaven wrote: post #80
MRonney wrote: post #34

The map for my hometown shows a train station that hasn't existed since the early 1900's.

If it's in the current OSM db, you should fix it. That's the great thing about OSM.

Yep, and it is even very easy: http://bergie.iki.fi/blog/openstreetmap-s_user-generated_dat...

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#124

Post by ecopoesis »

sambeau wrote: post #2

"It’s also missing the necessary credit to OpenStreetMap’s contributors; we look forward to working with Apple to get that on there."

Does Apple legally have to give credit? I thought facts couldn't be copyrighted (from the MLB vs fantasy baseball case - http://www.patentarcade.com/2007/11/case-cbc-v-major-league-...) and wouldn't map data qualify as facts?

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#125

Post by cjensen »

afterburner wrote: post #67
ElliotH wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I think it's quite messed up that a company as rich as Apple can't abide putting credits for people who have put some really good work in (I've even made small updates to OSM in my time) I do think that this is a very classy move by the OSM people, no ranting blog post or 'Apple stole our stuff', welcoming people presents a much better image of the project.

Given the behaviour of Steve Jobs over the years, that attitude is probably embedded in the culture.

Really? The same Jobs who asked Stallman personally about whether or not Next's modifications to Objective C would need to be contributed back, and who then made sure they were contributed?

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#126

Post by georgemcbay »

ecopoesis wrote: post #124
sambeau wrote: post #2

"It’s also missing the necessary credit to OpenStreetMap’s contributors; we look forward to working with Apple to get that on there."

Does Apple legally have to give credit? I thought facts couldn't be copyrighted (from the MLB vs fantasy baseball case - http://www.patentarcade.com/2007/11/case-cbc-v-major-league-... ) and wouldn't map data qualify as facts?

IANAL but from what I understand "facts" can't be copyrighted, but a collection of facts can be.

eg. A business' address/phone number can't be copyrighted on its own, but a specific collection of them into a Yellow Pages can be.

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#128

Post by ecopoesis »

georgemcbay wrote: post #126
ecopoesis wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does Apple legally have to give credit? I thought facts couldn't be copyrighted (from the MLB vs fantasy baseball case - http://www.patentarcade.com/2007/11/case-cbc-v-major-league-... ) and wouldn't map data qualify as facts?

IANAL but from what I understand "facts" can't be copyrighted, but a collection of facts can be. eg. A business' address/phone number can't be copyrighted on its own, but a specific collection of them into a Yellow Pages can be.

I wonder if that means Apple could take the individual facts from OSM, add a few in from their other sources, reorder the facts (or just build their own tiles from them since that's all they're presenting) and be okay legally?

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#129

Post by Steko »

ecopoesis wrote: post #128
georgemcbay wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IANAL but from what I understand "facts" can't be copyrighted, but a collection of facts can be. eg. A business' address/phone number can't be copyrighted on its own, but a specific collection of them into a Yellow Pages can be.

I wonder if that means Apple could take the individual facts from OSM, add a few in from their other sources, reorder the facts (or just build their own tiles from them since that's all they're presenting) and be okay legally?

Don't overthink it, they just forgot the attribution line. It doesn't cost them anything to add it, they just didn't put it in.

It's not a big deal despite the 500 articles that have been written about it.

Re: OpenStreetMap: Welcome Apple

#130

Post by Steko »

jarek wrote: post #108
rmc wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I presume the missing attribution was an accident. They cannot avoid it for much longer. It's legally required under the OSM copyright licence (CC-BY-SA)

Yeah. Apple isn't known for sweating the small stuff. Accident my ass! Incompetence, at best. If this was Microsoft or Oracle, not Apple, HN would be grabbing their pitchforks in three seconds.

If this was any other company not a single article would have been written about it in the first place.
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