EPSG dataset
Terms of use, revised 22/03/2007 (proposed - not adopted!)
The EPSG geodetic parameter dataset is owned jointly and severally by the members of the Surveying and Positioning Committee of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP), formerly the European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG). It is compiled by the Geodetic Subcommittee of the OGP from publicly available and member-supplied information and distributed at no charge through the internet.
The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this data. The data may be used, copied and distributed subject to the following conditions:
- INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
- The data may be included in any commercial package provided that any commerciality is based on value added by the provider and not on a value ascribed to the EPSG dataset which is made available at no charge. The ownership of the EPSG dataset [OGP] must be acknowledged.
- Subsets of information may be extracted from the dataset. Users are advised that coordinate reference system and coordinate transformation descriptions are incomplete unless all elements detailed as essential in OGP Surveying and Positioning Guidance Note 7-1 annex F are included.
- Essental elements should preferably be reproduced as described in the dataset. Modification of parameter values is permitted as described in OGP Surveying and Positioning Guidance Note 7-1 annex G to allow change to the content of the information provided that numeric equivalence is achieved. Numeric equivalence refers to the results of geodetic calculations in which the parameters are used, for example (i) conversion of ellipsoid defining parameters, or (ii) conversion of parameters between one and two standard parallel projection methods, or (iii) conversion of parameters between 7-parameter geocentric transformation methods
- No data that has been modified other than as permitted in these terms and conditions shall be attributed to the EPSG dataset.
Comments from debian-legal
An ongoing discussion in the debian-legal ML has a few useful hints:
My own observations: the license remains non-free due to non-modificability of data. Also sentence 5 is ambiguous and needs restating. If modification would be allowed, for instance by explicity specifying the original attribution and alteration of the data, I think those data could be considered free. I also think item 4 is not pertinent for a license.
For reference, the Debian Free Software Guidelines follow:
-- Francesco P. Lovergine <frankie@…>
