Re: Maps

On 5/8/97, Bill Thayer <petworth[_at_]suba.com> wrote:
> >
> > Almost every map and plan I've ever seen has a very visible copyright
> > notice.
> >
> > At the same time, it strikes me that, short of resurveying the mapped
> > area, anyone drawing a map of a large geographical area must be copying
> > something; not only that, must be copying the specific *form*, most
> > specifically protected by copyright.
> >
> > How can one legally draw a good map -- say, of Italy? I'm not referring
> > to coloring or placenames; but what I choose to show on it, and most of
> > all, the underlying contours and spatial relationships of the map itself.

The identity and location of geographic features is not copyrightable. Although their unique depictions on a particular map may be protected from close copying, it is not hard to incorporate those elements in a new map which is not infringing. In other words you don't have to move the capitol of the United States to avoid infringing a map which shows the capital of the United States.

John Noble
<jnoble[_at_]dgs.dgsys.com> Received on Fri May 09 1997 - 21:51:28 GMT