MapPoint 2004: Copyright clarification

I work for a geomatic engineering and deployment company from Québec.

I would like to know if the use of screenshots from MapPoint 2004 for near real-time positionning could result in copyright infringement. I explain:

We've made an application that trace vehicles in a given region (it's always the same). The position of the vehicles is updated by a telephonist who's in communication with the vehicle driver.

I want to develop a TCP/IP application that will send screenshots to other company workstations that monitor the vehicles activity.

Could I do this using one MapPoint license? Or does it takes a license for each of the workstation that receive the screenshots? Please note that the use of the application is restricted to our Local Area Network : it's an internal use application only!

Thanks!

Well, for further reference I'll include the answer from Microsoft Canada Ressource Center (1-877-568-2495):

Yes. You need a license for each workstation.

Keep in mind, this is exactly what the webservice is setup for, remoting maps without necessity for the entire framework of MapPoint.

I would explore a per use cost model than trying to canopy unlimited use via the hefty client side license. Keep in mind, Microsoft has offered sliding prices based on volume licensing, the lowest I've ever seen MapPoint down to on a past version is approx $289.

If you didn't know about a per use licensing model via web services, be sure to check that out, sounds like these units are going to be on the wire anyway, looks like it could work for you.

Tim Miltz

Hi,

I want to develop a TCP/IP application that will send screenshots to other company workstations that monitor the vehicles activity.
Could I do this using one MapPoint license

Yes you can. this is a fraction of the end user agreement:

You may post online up to one thousand maps or sets of mapping Content (except points of interest) generated by use of the Software Product, provided that You do not sell or sublicense such Content

This means clearly that you may copy the generated bitmap and send it to anotehr machine. As long as the other machine does not use any of the installed components (in other words 'does not need mappoint') you are free to do that.

I dont know wy this 'points of interest' is so importand, but it seems so :)

It is not clear to me if you can post to thousand machines simultaniousle, or that you have to have a 'post counter' that limit to thousand in total. The latter seems wierd to me, because this should mean that your software has to stop working after some years :)

The position of the vehicles is updated by a telephonist who's in communication with the vehicle driver.

Then you also dont have to worry about the 'real time' or 'near real time' feature of the licence. They only speak about (radio)network delay and unmeserable delay. A human upgrade is definitiveley not near to near real time.

Thanks Wilfried!

I'll inform my supervisor about it, and we'll try to find out the best solution.

When I asked Microsoft Ressources Center, they told me I needed a license for each workstation; but I asked them for a "near real-time" system. I tough it was near real-time, but since it's a human upgrade, i don't need to care about it...

Best regards.