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[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] Re: Linkbases, Topic Maps,and RDF Knowledge Bases -- help me understand,
 [Mike Champion:] > So, there is one and only one XTM syntax. That is a very important > clarification for me. Is there consensus on who "owns" the syntax > so that it can evolve? This is a matter of record; the notion of "consensus" is irrelevant to your question. Here is the relevant passage from the Charter of TopicMaps.Org, which developed the XTM DTD: The copyright of XTM will remain with the Participating Members of TopicMaps.Org as individuals, collectively identified as TopicMaps.Org. No copyright or other intellectual property rights, including moral rights, shall be transferred to the Host Organization, nor to any Sponsor, nor to the employers of the Participating Members. XTM shall be published in such a way that it may be used and copied by anyone for any purpose, provided that all copies are true and complete, and provided that each copy shall bear the copyright notice of TopicMaps.Org, sponsorship notices and all other appropriate legal notices designed to protect the interests of the public and of TopicMaps.Org, as specified in XTM as formally adopted and officially published by TopicMaps.Org. I think it's very clear that it's entirely up to these individuals how the XTM syntax will evolve. Just as obviously, it's up to the marketplace to decide how to use the intellectual property that these individuals have contributed and will contribute under the Charter of TopicMaps.Org. I wish to draw everyone's attention to the unusually broad license that has been granted to the public: ... [XTM] may be used and copied by anyone for any purpose ... Therefore, all the ideas contained in XTM are, for all practical purposes, in the public domain. My own interpretation of the license is that the only limitation is that copies of the official XTM materials are not licensed to claim to be copies of the official materials (i.e., are not licensed to look as though they are copies of the materials) unless they are indeed true and complete copies of the official materials. Thankfully, we have the Web, so there are few occasions when anybody needs to make any copies of this stuff. We can just point at the relevant portions of http://www.topicmaps.org; it's hard to see how anyone can go wrong by doing that. TopicMaps.Org has also made a pledge to the effect that all versions of XTM will continue to be available indefinitely. I think this was done as part of its "open process" policy (Murray Altheim deserves a lot of credit for this, I think). Personally, I think this is a Good Idea, for many reasons. -Steve -- Steven R. Newcomb, Consultant srn@c... voice: +1 972 359 8160 fax: +1 972 359 0270 405 Flagler Court Allen, Texas 75013-2821 USA 
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