Re: GNU Free Database License

[Richard Tobin]

In article <mailman.7027.1158449002.9609.gnu-misc-discuss@gnu.org>,
Alfred M. Szmidt <ams@gnu.org> wrote:

>   Writing all those definitions in the dictionary requires
>   creativity, so you get copyright on the dictionary.

>It is about as creative as listing phone numbers and names

This is a very odd view.  Have you ever tried producing good
definitions for words?

>I don't have any references, but I seem to recall that only the
>"presentation" of a dictionary can be copyrighted

I would not advise putting any faith in this claim.  If it were true,
you would easily be able to find the definitions from, say, the OED
freely available online, which is not the case.

-- Richard