That proverb is another way of referencing a situation known as a
"tragedy of the commons."  Such a concept applies to physical property
but does not necessarily apply to "intellectual property" i.e. ideas.

In this talk, Lawrence Lessig, discusses this contrast, showing that
in the realm of ideas, we have the opposite of a tragedy, a "comedy of
the commons."

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail349.html

Will a digital map fall victim to the tragedy or be a comedy?  I think
the later is far more likely.

Alan

On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 11:45 PM, Joshua Zeidner <jjzeidner@gmail.com> wrote:
>  very cool animation...
>
>  I tend to think though that this project is going to have a 'geospam'
> problem.  I was once enthusiastic about such collaborative efforts,
> but then I learned a Chinese proverb:
>
>  "The courtyard that is common to all is swept by none."
>
>  food 4 thought.  jmz
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