[going OT] Re: [Phpwm] Re: Postcode Database (Chris Allen)

Elliot Smith elliot at townx.org
Mon Apr 30 09:58:13 BST 2007


>
> Probably for the same reason as you don't design sites for free, its called capitalism!
> They've got it, you haven't, so if you want it then you have to pay.
> At one stage BT actually tried to make telephone numbers copyrighted information, in that if you published your number or had it printed anywhere, like on business stationary, you should pay them royalties.
>
> I would imagine at some stage someone like Google will make it free by collecting enough data from people putting postcodes and locations into their mapping systems to effectively make it public domain information.
>
> Phil
>   
Fair point about capitalism, Phil: I'm all for free markets etc.. What I 
object to is that I've already paid once for the data to be gathered and 
processed (e.g. in the case of mapping data, O/S); why should I be 
paying again? They have got it, but they've effectively stolen it from 
us in the first place. Which is why Keith is right, and we should be 
supporting petitions (like the ones he mentions) to make "our" data 
free; I think the Guardian currently has a campaign going (correct me if 
I'm wrong) to make all data gathered using public money free for public 
use, which has produced several interesting articles and made some progress.

Elliot
>
> _______________________________________________
> Phpwm mailing list
> Phpwm at mailman.lug.org.uk
> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/phpwm
>   




More information about the Phpwm mailing list