[Geoserver-devel] Redistribution limitations in a test resource

GeoServer GeoServer Developer
1

Hi,
today I've looking into Oscar patch for NTv2 transformations support
(https://jira.codehaus.org/browse/GEOT-4063)
and things are progressing along nicely, but I believe I've found a problem.

One of the tests added obviously needs a grid shift file (as a test
resource), and the spanish file used by Oscar comes with
the following license:

------------------

Thi grid file is free ; you can redistribute or include
in commercial/personal applications.

Creative Commons License CC-By FjgMatesanz

In the event that you wish to alter the grid file which
appears at this ZIP file , for a purpose other than
personal, in-house or non-commercial use, you can apply to
the Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional at the following address
for formal permission.

Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional
General Iba�ez Ibero 3
28003
Madrid, Spain
Subdirecci�n General de Producci�n Cartogr�fica

Whilst all effort is made to ensure the accuracy and
currency of this grid file, IGN and CNIG does not accept
responsibility for any actions arising from the use of
this data.

------------------

The part in the middle seems incompatible with the LGPL to me, but I
may be wrong.
What is other people opinion?

Also, is that a problem for a test resource that won't be part of the
jars we deploy?
Again, I suspect so, but would like to hear from others.

Cheers
Andrea

--
-------------------------------------------------------
Ing. Andrea Aime
GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Tech lead

Via Poggio alle Viti 1187
55054 Massarosa (LU)
Italy

phone: +39 0584 962313
fax: +39 0584 962313
mob: +39 339 8844549

http://www.geo-solutions.it
http://geo-solutions.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/GeoSolutionsIT
http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaaime
http://twitter.com/geowolf

-------------------------------------------------------

2

I think this is the key difference between a software and a data license: and we are not distribution the sample data files “under” LGPL?

(You are correct we need to list the license we are making the data available with - since we distribute the file; but it is not one of the ones we compile into our code and execute and is thus not required to be compatible with LGPL).

In this case we simply list the data license (somewhere where the developers can see it) and move on. We should probably list it for correct sample data attribution.

Jody Garnett

On Monday, 12 March 2012 at 6:07 AM, Andrea Aime wrote:

Hi,
today I’ve looking into Oscar patch for NTv2 transformations support
(https://jira.codehaus.org/browse/GEOT-4063)
and things are progressing along nicely, but I believe I’ve found a problem.

One of the tests added obviously needs a grid shift file (as a test
resource), and the spanish file used by Oscar comes with
the following license:

Thi grid file is free ; you can redistribute or include
in commercial/personal applications.

Creative Commons License CC-By FjgMatesanz

In the event that you wish to alter the grid file which
appears at this ZIP file , for a purpose other than
personal, in-house or non-commercial use, you can apply to
the Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional at the following address
for formal permission.

Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional
General Iba�ez Ibero 3
28003
Madrid, Spain
Subdirecci�n General de Producci�n Cartogr�fica

Whilst all effort is made to ensure the accuracy and
currency of this grid file, IGN and CNIG does not accept
responsibility for any actions arising from the use of
this data.

The part in the middle seems incompatible with the LGPL to me, but I
may be wrong.
What is other people opinion?

Also, is that a problem for a test resource that won’t be part of the
jars we deploy?
Again, I suspect so, but would like to hear from others.

Cheers
Andrea

–

Ing. Andrea Aime
GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Tech lead

Via Poggio alle Viti 1187
55054 Massarosa (LU)
Italy

phone: +39 0584 962313
fax: +39 0584 962313
mob: +39 339 8844549

http://www.geo-solutions.it
http://geo-solutions.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/GeoSolutionsIT
http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaaime
http://twitter.com/geowolf

Virtualization & Cloud Management Using Capacity Planning
Cloud computing makes use of virtualization - but cloud computing
also focuses on allowing computing to be delivered as a service.
http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfnl/114/51521223/

Geoserver-devel mailing list
Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel

3

I’m not a developer nor an IP lawyer, so take my views with a grain of salt… but I agree with Jody that there is a distinction between a test dataset and the licensing therein, vs. compiled code.

Steve

On Sun, Mar 11, 2012 at 5:58 PM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

I think this is the key difference between a software and a data license: and we are not distribution the sample data files “under” LGPL?

(You are correct we need to list the license we are making the data available with - since we distribute the file; but it is not one of the ones we compile into our code and execute and is thus not required to be compatible with LGPL).

In this case we simply list the data license (somewhere where the developers can see it) and move on. We should probably list it for correct sample data attribution.

Jody Garnett

On Monday, 12 March 2012 at 6:07 AM, Andrea Aime wrote:

Hi,
today I’ve looking into Oscar patch for NTv2 transformations support
(https://jira.codehaus.org/browse/GEOT-4063)
and things are progressing along nicely, but I believe I’ve found a problem.

One of the tests added obviously needs a grid shift file (as a test
resource), and the spanish file used by Oscar comes with
the following license:

Thi grid file is free ; you can redistribute or include
in commercial/personal applications.

Creative Commons License CC-By FjgMatesanz

In the event that you wish to alter the grid file which
appears at this ZIP file , for a purpose other than
personal, in-house or non-commercial use, you can apply to
the Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional at the following address
for formal permission.

Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional
General Iba�ez Ibero 3
28003
Madrid, Spain
Subdirecci�n General de Producci�n Cartogr�fica

Whilst all effort is made to ensure the accuracy and
currency of this grid file, IGN and CNIG does not accept
responsibility for any actions arising from the use of
this data.

The part in the middle seems incompatible with the LGPL to me, but I
may be wrong.
What is other people opinion?

Also, is that a problem for a test resource that won’t be part of the
jars we deploy?
Again, I suspect so, but would like to hear from others.

Cheers
Andrea

–

Ing. Andrea Aime
GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Tech lead

Via Poggio alle Viti 1187
55054 Massarosa (LU)
Italy

phone: +39 0584 962313
fax: +39 0584 962313
mob: +39 339 8844549

http://www.geo-solutions.it
http://geo-solutions.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/GeoSolutionsIT
http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaaime
http://twitter.com/geowolf

Virtualization & Cloud Management Using Capacity Planning
Cloud computing makes use of virtualization - but cloud computing
also focuses on allowing computing to be delivered as a service.
http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfnl/114/51521223/

Geoserver-devel mailing list
Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel

Virtualization & Cloud Management Using Capacity Planning
Cloud computing makes use of virtualization - but cloud computing
also focuses on allowing computing to be delivered as a service.
http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfnl/114/51521223/

Geoserver-devel mailing list
Geoserver-devel@anonymised.comsts.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel

4

I am also not a lawyer.

The descriptive text is incompatible with CC-By, which allows derived works. Looks more like a variant of CC-By-ND.

I don't think the licence will be a problem because, as you note, this is test input data only and production code does not depend on it. Because it is input data, it is not affected by and, in my (lay) opinion, does not conflict with the LGPL. Please check it in and document it in src/site/apt/review.apt . Place the full copyright statement somewhere appropriate (licenses at the top level?).

Restrictive copyright is a common problem for real data files distributed by statutory bodies: they *want* to distribute the data for free but cannot be associated with modified versions as this contravenes their (perceived) fiduciary duty to release only quality-controlled data. Even attribution can be seen as their endorsement of data they do not control (this is more about fear and brand management than reality). Yes, this is pain I have felt before.

Kind regards,
Ben.

On 12/03/12 04:07, Andrea Aime wrote:

Hi,
today I've looking into Oscar patch for NTv2 transformations support
(https://jira.codehaus.org/browse/GEOT-4063)
and things are progressing along nicely, but I believe I've found a problem.

One of the tests added obviously needs a grid shift file (as a test
resource), and the spanish file used by Oscar comes with
the following license:

------------------

Thi grid file is free ; you can redistribute or include
in commercial/personal applications.

Creative Commons License CC-By FjgMatesanz

In the event that you wish to alter the grid file which
appears at this ZIP file , for a purpose other than
personal, in-house or non-commercial use, you can apply to
the Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional at the following address
for formal permission.

Instituto Geogr�fico Nacional
General Iba�ez Ibero 3
28003
Madrid, Spain
Subdirecci�n General de Producci�n Cartogr�fica

Whilst all effort is made to ensure the accuracy and
currency of this grid file, IGN and CNIG does not accept
responsibility for any actions arising from the use of
this data.

------------------

The part in the middle seems incompatible with the LGPL to me, but I
may be wrong.
What is other people opinion?

Also, is that a problem for a test resource that won't be part of the
jars we deploy?
Again, I suspect so, but would like to hear from others.

Cheers
Andrea

--
Ben Caradoc-Davies <Ben.Caradoc-Davies@anonymised.com>
Software Engineer
CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering
Australian Resources Research Centre