Bob Sihler - Sep 24, 2010 11:26 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Free of right ?Since this is my own map, paid for, I can use it as toilet paper if I want to.
nartreb - Sep 24, 2010 2:15 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Free of right ?You can use a map as toilet paper without fear of the Copyright Act, but distributing photos (copies/derivative works) of a map is another story.
However, this is a US Forest Service map, and the Copyright Act states that US Federal government works are not subject to copyright.
Bob Sihler - Sep 25, 2010 7:49 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Free of right ?Nartreb, do you know how this applies to, say, Trails Illustrated and Earthwalk Press maps that are based on USGS maps? Most maps I have posted here are from USGS topos and are public domain, but I have photographed and posted those other maps a few times. I've noted the source, but I still wonder if that's not good enough. If it's not, I want to fix it by replacing the maps with USGS ones.
nartreb - Sep 25, 2010 10:16 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Free of right ?The problem is "based on". Whatever changes the reseller has made are automatically copyright by the reseller. If you can prove that what you're publishing is identical to the USGS map, then you're OK, but it's easier just to use the USGS map in the first place.
Note that some of these resellers issue licenses that encourage posting online - I seem to recall that National Geographic's software has such a license, but I don't know about the ones you've named above.
Bob Sihler - Sep 25, 2010 10:54 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Free of right ?Thanks. It's just safer to post what I know is public domain, and it's easy to do, so I'll make those changes. As I said, it's just a few instances.
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