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OpenStreetMap:About: Difference between revisions

OpenStreetMap:About (view source)

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The OpenStreetMap Foundation is a UK-registered not-for-profit organization that supports the OpenStreetMap Project. The OpenStreetMap Project based at [http://www.OpenStreetMap.org OpenStreetMap.org], is the worldwide mapping effort that includes more than 320,000 volunteers around the globe.
The OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) was established to serve a number of purposes:
 
The foundation consists of [http://www.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Membership members] from around the world who elect its [http://www.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Officers_%26_Board board of directors].
* To be a custodian for the servers and services necessary to host the OpenStreetMap project. Specifically the foundation is the custodian of the servers located at UCL & Imperial and the www.openstreetmap.org domain name.
* The Foundation, as a UK registered limited company affords some degree of protection from copyright and liability suits. Previously Steve Coast would have been personally liable for any action that might have been taken as a result of alleged copyright infringement.
* The Foundation provides a vehicle for fundraising to support the project. As a non-profit organisation its articles of association legally prevent it from making a profit.
 
Much of the foundation’s extensive work is done in the background, yet is critical to the ongoing functioning and growth of the OpenStreetMap Project.
The Foundation is owned by its members. The membership scheme provides a mechanism for interested people to have a say in the activities of the Foundation.
 
The foundation supports the project with several key functions:
It is important to understand that the OpenStreetMap Foundation is not the same thing as the OpenStreetMap project. The Foundation does not own the OpenStreetMap data, is not the copyright holder and has no desire to own the data. Anyone can set up a few servers and host the OSM data using the same or different software. In this respect the Foundation is an organisation that performs fundraising in order to provides servers to host the project. Its role is to support the project, not to control it.
 
* As a UK-registered limited company, the foundation acts as a legal entity for the OpenStreetMap Project.
Many of the activities of the Foundation do not have a high profile. They involve meetings and discussions with potential donors and partners, preparation of proposals, and conference and event organising. Many of the discussions with potential donors are carried out confidentially and we only get to shout about them once a deal has been closed.
* The foundation is the custodian for the computer servers and services necessary to host the OpenStreetMap project.
* Provides a vehicle for fund-raising to support the project. The foundation can accept donations for the OpenStreetMap Project and allocate those donations to OpenStreetMap Project activities.
* Organizes the annual conference, [http://stateofthemap.org/ State-of-the-map].
* Supports and communicates with the working groups, such as communications, licensing, etc. The foundation board at times will delegate various tasks to working groups, such as public relations, Web site development, etc.
 
OpenStreetMap is an open initiative to create and provide free map data to anyone who wants them.
The Memorandum and Articles of Association is a formal and legal description of the aims of the Foundation its rules and its constitution.
 
== Name & Registered Office: ==
Retrieved from "https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/778"