Licence to Convert Dictionary to Spell-Checker Dictionary

[Wols Lists]

On 30/06/15 00:11, Richard Wordingham wrote:
> One way of producing a spelling dictionary is to take the words from
> a near-normal dictionary and use them.  Does publishing such a
> dictionary require the permission of the dictionary's copyright
> holder?  If it's relevant, the dictionary was published in Thailand.

Don't know about Thai law, but there is no copyright in a list of words,
ie a basic dictionary.
> 
> I appreciate that one ought to do a lot more work than just that step
> to make a good spelling dictionary.

Which is why Europe has the Database Directive, which protects "sweat of
the brow" in compiling such a list of words. So you can't assume that
because copyright doesn't apply, you can just copy it ...

Note that, if you use an existing database as a *template* for your own
(not just copying it), then the database directive doesn't apply - but
you need to be able to show that you have put a decent amount of "sweat
of the brow" into building your own database. For example, I can't just
copy BT's phonebook, but if I get hold of a load of different phone
books and combine them, that's probably going to be okay.
> 
> If I need permission, what licences would be suitable for making the
> spelling dictionary available via LibreOffice?
> 
Don't know. Probably some form of Creative Commons. Try and get a legal
opinion as to whether any protection at all applies, and then use that
as a lever to get any possible rights holder to explicitly place it in
the public domain or allow it to be distributed under the MPL. Either
option, despite being very dubious legally, would provide LibreOffice
with the required protection - essentially they're quitclaims - saying
"I won't enforce the rights I probably don't have".

Cheers,
Wol