Although the majority of the most active contributors to OSM have agreed to license their contributions under the ODbL, some people have not yet done so. The reasons for not having done so are many and varied: some mappers haven’t been contacted yet, some are opposed to the thought of their contributions being made available under ODbL terms, which I respect even though I disagree with it; some people still hope the Foundation will change their mind ignoring the damage to the community from supporters of the licence change being betrayed, some have fallen out with the project and want to go out with a bang, some lack confidence because they don’t quite understand what the licence change means and some are naturally cautious about signing any agreement.

Unfortunately a few mappers are seeking to gain an advantage by threatening not to sign up for as long as they can and twisting people’s arms in the process. Bullying is not of course unheard of in online communities; the licence change has give some bullies an opportunity.

My message to the bullies is that although we would like your contributions along with everyone else’s they are not so critical we need to grovel to your self-importance; they can and will be replaced. To anyone who’s been bullied about licences or anything else, we’re here to help.