[pct-l] Printing Halfmile maps in color

[Gary Wright]

On Jan 7, 2010, at 11:20 AM, Carolyn Eddy wrote:
> Since the advent of the internet people seem to think that once something is 
> out there that it is up for grabs. Not true.

It isn't clear if your comment was directed to me but I certainly *don't* believe that things are 'up for grabs' *unless* of course the *author* has said "these things are up for grabs".  Clearly Halfmile is making the maps freely available so I don't see how distributing a *hardcopy* version for the cost of printing/shipping is a violation of the spirit in which the maps are made available as long as everyone is properly credited. Whether it is legal or not is a much more complicated matter:

I tried to track down the exact terms of the license associated with Halfmile's maps since this discussion is pointless if we don't actually know what those terms are.  I couldn't find the actual terms other than: 

> Printable maps are created using National Geographic TOPO! software and offered for download under license from National Geographic Inc. Maps copyright © National Geographic, Inc and copyright Halfmile Media.

Which implies that Halfmile Media has a license from NatGeo.  NatGeo's standard license doesn't permit digital distribution of its maps (only hardcopy distribution, see https://www.topo.com/enduser) so I'm guessing that Halfmile asked for and received some sort of supplemental license but I can't seem to find the associated terms at Halfmile's website.  If no such supplemental license exists then..well..this discussion is probably a bit awkward for Halfmile.

NatGeo allows hardcopy distribution if you bought their software:

> You may distribute hard copy Reproductions on paper, as long as the Reproductions are distributed freely, without charge, in a non-commercial manner and the National Geographic copyright notice appears...

It isn't clear to me if that right extends beyond the owner of the software to the recipient of the hardcopy, but I would guess that it would as long as the terms were followed (freely without charge).  The original owner clearly has to spend money to make hardcopy versions of the map.  What isn't clear to me is if the 'distribute freely, without charge, in a non-commercial manner' means that the owner of the software is prohibited from passing on the printing costs.

If the owner can pass on the printing costs, then all the schemes discussed on this list would seem to be find since it is only the printing costs that are being passed along.

If the owner can *not* pass on the printing costs, then I can't even make two copies of Halfmile's maps and ask another person to chip in on the costs of the ink.

Even if you get past the hardcopy cost issue, the terms of the digital distribution are completely unknown to us as far as I can tell.