[tz] temporary timezone database home ...

[Alois Treindl]

On 07.10.11 11:59, Peter Ilieve wrote:
> The jurisdiction section of Astrolabe's complaint only mentions copyright
> for "computer software program(s) and/or data bases, and in the form of
> electronic output and future electronic media from said programs".
> It doesn't claim anything about books.
>
> I'm no lawyer, but it doesn't look to me as though Astrolabe are in
> any position to sue anyone about use of data from the printed books,
> and it is the books that are cited in the tz files. It's all very
> curious.
>

I agree, very curious indeed.
I own the books in multiple editions.

I also have some knowledge of the data structures imn the database 
version of the ACS atlas, as I work for Astrodienst, which since 1987 
holds a license from ACS to use the atlas database in its own computer 
services (see http://www.astro.com/atlas as one example of such use)

The data organisation for the timezone history information in the 
database is totally different from the data as it is published in the 
books. In its content the data in both variants are of course related 
and - depending which versions one compares - identical. I cannot go 
into details of the data organisation inside the database here in public.

Surely the tzdata tz files only refer to the books, while the legal case 
seems to refer only to software and 'form of electronic output' whatever 
that means. Of course a book created by text processing and typesetting 
software can also be called a 'form of electronic output' though this 
term seems strange. One would have to call it 'printed'.

I can only speculate, but the reason may be that the contract under 
which Astrolabe has acquired rights on the ACS atlas only relates to the 
database version, not to he book.

Which would mean that they are in no position to sue anyone who quotes 
from the books.

The whole thing may just be an attempt to spread confusion and fear in 
the community.