[Geowanking] Re: GeoDRM

[Cameron Shorter]

GeoDRM is needed for legitimate open data collection communities.

If you want to set up a Geographic Wiki, where users can edit, update 
and maintain geographic data, you have 2 options:
1. Let everyone change data (which is likely to include intentionally 
and unintentionally corrupt data).

2. Set up a trust system where only trusted users can validate data or 
enter certain features.

Both cases will have their uses and both will promote open geographic data.

SteveC wrote:
> * @ 15/10/06 05:51:02 PM nelson at monkey.org wrote:
> 
>>>I imagine this drm effort, if it such, will fail just like all the
>>>others.
>>
>>Which DRM failures do you have in mind? iPod? Macrovision, which you 
>>reference later as a failure and yet is shipped in every video device in 
>>the US? Or maybe Windows Trusted Computing? Too early to say if that 
>>will be a failure or not, but it sure will be a pain in the neck.
>>
>>DRM is a technical failure because what they're trying to do is 
> 
> 
> And that is what I meant.
> 
> 
>>technically impossible. But DRM is a business success and, alas, a 
>>technical impediment that we are increasingly subject to with digital 
>>video and audio. Even stupid completely compromised DRM like DVD copy 
>>protection is still deployed widely making things expensive for device 
>>manufacturers and users. You can't dismiss DRM.
> 
> 
> I can personally, as I'm sure I'll be able to get around it. I also
> pointed out the economic imperative.
> 
> 
>>We're at the beginning of the development of some amazing 
>>location-specific data and services. My biggest fear is that these 
>>businesses are going to be built where their entire business model is 
>>"we have the only source of data and we protect it with all the DRM we 
>>can muster". If that happens, the result will be that a lot of 
>>interesting legitimate businesses will be impeded and we'll be left 
>>having to steal data and use modchips to do powerful things with 
> 
> 
> You mean infringe.
> 
> 
>>geographic data.
> 
> 
> Well, by this stage I'm sure openstreetmap or similar will have
> comparable or better data for most use cases...
> 
> have fun,
> 
> SteveC steve at asklater.com http://www.asklater.com/steve/
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-- 
Cameron Shorter
http://cameron.shorter.net