Copyright: can I use site descriptions from DMOZ on my site?

[DrQuincy]

Hi

 

I have a list of sites on a section on a website I am developing. I have got a lot of these links from a section in Dmoz. I am wondering does the Dmoz licence permit to use the site descriptions on my site?

 

On Dmoz it says:

 

Basic License. Netscape grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify and create derivative works from, and distribute and publish the Open Directory and your derivative works thereof, subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Open Directory License. You may authorize others to exercise the foregoing rights; provided, however, that you must have an agreement with your sublicensees that passes on the requirements and obligations of Sections 2 and 4 below and which must include a limitation of liability provision no less protective of Netscape than Section 6 below.

 

Does this mean I can or can't? Sorry, but I get phase by legal jargon.

 

Thanks in advance.

[jimnoble]

It's fine if you reproduce ODP copyright content on your website but if you do, you must provide proper attribution. This is detailed here. You've already quoted part of the Open Directory License and I urge you to read it in full.

[DrQuincy]

Hi there

 

Thanks for your reply - I have read it but like I say I get really confused by the semantics. Does that apply to entire sections of the directory? I'm only using hand picked sites and have changed some of the descriptions slighty.

[jimnoble]

It applies to the copyright bits that you've copied.