[cgiapp] [OT] Searching for a db of American Localities and Postcodes

[Mark Fuller]

On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 6:07 PM, Ron Savage<ron at savage.net.au> wrote:
> However, in a module I'm about to release, I can't ship their database.

Shouldn't the data be Public Domain? For one thing it is merely a
collection of facts. In the US a collection can be copyrighted to the
extent that it includes some kind of creative expression. (Ex. the
telephone White Pages can't be copyrighted. Too factual. Yellow Pages
can because of the choice of categories, and assigning businesses to
categories).

A collection of all zip codes in the US seems to be equally
embellished as white pages.

Also, I thought in the US a government agency's published works are
automatically PD. Zip codes originate from the US Postal Service.

So, it seems like a private company compiled all the PD zip codes and
calls it protected expression?

AFAIK, the only thing that would be protected is the *format* they
store it in. Such as a database. But, the raw data remains PD.

That was my understanding a decade ago. Maybe something has changed.

Mark