FAQ
General questions​
How can I help?
License​
What is an open license?
Broadly speaking, an open license is one which grants permission to access, re-use and redistribute a work with few or no restrictions. [Source: The Open Knowledge Foundation.]
Under what license is your climbing data published?
Excluding photos and software source code, OpenBeta climbing data is published under the Creative Commons Public Domain (aka CC0).
Why do you publish the climbing data under CC0?
We choose CC0 to maximize reuse and adoption.
Long answer: Crowd-sourced climbing data is the labor of the climbing community. Oftentimes it's the work of multiple contributors and a mix of creative, and factual and non-copyritable content. Figuring out authorship and where copyrightable content begins and ends can be a technical and legal nightmare for the community. CC0 removes the legal red tape burden from community members who want to reuse and add value to the existing work.
Why does climbing content need a license where I can already browse climbing sites for free?
While other climbing websites don't charge a fee to read the content, that is where your rights stop. Their Terms and Conditions may forbid you from copying and reusing the crowd-sourced information even if the information may not be copyrightable.
By adopting a well-known and open license (such as those by the Creative Commons), you remove ambiguity and allow community members to improve and build on your work.
Others​
Are you competing with printed guidebooks?
No.
Will making climbing information more accessbile lead to overcrowding at local crags?
No.