http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/

The Open Database License (ODbL) is an open license for data and databases which includes explicit attribution and share-alike requirements.

This license, the first of its kind, is a major step forward for open data. There are currently very few licenses available suited to data and databases and none which provide for share-alike (existing share-alike licenses such as the GPL, GFDL and CC By-SA are all unsuitable for data).

The development of the ODbL, has been a major effort extending over more than one and half years with an intensive consultation and review period for the last 6 months. We’d like to express our thanks to the communities and individuals who have contributed during this time.

http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/

As expected there haven’t been many changes from the first Release Candidate. The two main alterations are:

1. Removal of section 4.7 related to reverse engineering. This may be reintroduced in later versions but has been left out here in order to remove any possible concerns about license compatibility on Produced Works.
2. Explicit statement that derivative databases used in the creation of Publicly Available Produced Works are also subject to share-alike.

With the completion of this second round of comments we believe this text is now in final “1.0″ form. In order to allow interested individuals and communities time to review the latest set of changes, as well as to provide an opportunity to catch any last minute “bugs” we are going to provide a one final, brief, comment period closing on Friday 19th of June at 1200GMT. Full details on how to comment can be found on the ODbL home page.

In preparation for the 1.0 release we have also continued to improve the FAQs as well as providing a new open data guide. Any feedback on these is also very welcome.

http://www.opendatacommons.org/guide/

We’ve been asked a lot recently for a simple HOWTO and this guide is one effort to address this.

This is a first draft and we’d really like to hear any feedback people have.

http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/

This updated version of the license incorporates a whole set of changes arising out of the earlier comments period and the main changes are summarized below.

As the naming suggests, we believe this text is now very close to a “production-ready” 1.0 license. To allow interested individuals and communities time to review the latest set of changes, as well as to provide an opportunity to catch any last minute “bugs”, there will be a 1 week comment period starting today and ending at midnight next Wednesday (6th May). Full details on how to comment can be found on the ODbL home page.

In preparation for the 1.0 release we have also prepared detailed instructions on how to apply the license which can also be found on the ODbL home page. Any feedback on these is also very welcome.

Finally, we’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank-you to everyone who contributed to that process as well as a special thank-you to Jordan Hatcher, advisory board member and the person primarily responsible, not only for creating the original version of this license, but preparing this latest revision.

Summary of Changes

For the license, specific changes include:

1. A variety of typos, grammar fixes and minor renaming
2. Change “Publicly Convey” to “Use” as Trigger for SA
3. Clarify “Publicly Convey”
4. Change from “Data” to “Contents” for contents of DB.
5. Introduction of proxy for specification of compatible licenses
6. Clarification of what is required when making available of derivatives
7. Reinstatement of terminated rights if breach ceases
8. Move “How To Apply” section to website (not strictly part of license)

We have also prepared several new FAQs to address issues that were raised during the comment process, including:

• Choice of Law
• Enforceability
• Confusion
• Substantial
• Upgrading (updated)

• Open Database License (ODbL) public beta (PDF file)
• Comments on the license should be submitted through co-ment: http://www.co-ment.net/text/844/ (or, less preferably, on the wiki or the mailing list — see below).

Comments are due by 23:59 GMT on 20 March 2009, with an expected launch of the completed ODbL on 28 March 2009. There is also:

• An ODC email discussion list where discussion of license drafts and other ODC matters takes place.
• A project wiki page at: http://www.okfn.org/wiki/wg/odol/odc/odbl/

http://blog.okfn.org/2008/12/02/biblios-worlds-largest-database-of-open-bibliographic-data-goes-beta/

…and they appear to be using the Public Domain Dedication and Licence — Thanks Biblios.net!

As we build up some infrastructure, we will start posting about other users as well (and I know that there are a few others already using it).

Freedom to Research: Keeping Scientific Data Open, Accessible, and Interoperable [PDF]

Science Commons blog post announcement: Nguyen on keeping data open and free.

Registration is now open.

The new materials are up!  The first draft has been archived and links to the original text will be posted.  I’ve just updated the page that the PDDL was originally on. The Community Norms statement was not updated.

CHANGELOG - PDDL

Added various text in the preamble in order to clarify it a bit. Deleted “Database Directive” definition and incorporated it into “Database Right” definition as was only used in the database right definition. New 2.2, old 2.2 changed to 2.3.  New 2.2 as outlined in blog post below with some amendments: Proposed additional clause post Include “completeness” after “accuracy” in Section 5.1

There is no FAQ up detailing use — the Open Data Commons project is a volunteer effort at this time and so a FAQ will be forthcoming as we are able to devote time to it. Thanks however must go to Talis for sponsoring the initial draft creation.

Please do not link to the PDDL text as a means of using it: Copy the text to your own site or place it in the file as appropriate after you’ve consulted with appropriate counsel about using the document.