Comments on: There shouldn’t need to be an OpenStreetMap http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/ Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:24:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ROBIN http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/comment-page-1/#comment-20949 ROBIN Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:37:37 +0000 http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/#comment-20949 Have you seen the quality of the US MAPS? If you compare them to the UK you will see why they are FREE ! Have you seen the quality of the US MAPS? If you compare them to the UK you will see why they are FREE !

]]> By: Shepazu http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/comment-page-1/#comment-20829 Shepazu Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:04:21 +0000 http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/#comment-20829 Hi, Ben- I totally agree with your point about survey data being freely available. As far as I know, government-collected data is only freely available in the US and (recently) Japan. I'm glad to see there's a movement for opening this up. But even if the data were all free and open, OpenStreetMap (or something like it) would still be needed. For one, just having free data doesn't provide the presentation service. The data is just numbers, the map is not the territory. Another thing OpenStreetMap provides is a way for people to add their own data on top of official data. This is a much more interesting prospect than simple maps. Google Maps, meanwhile, has a great model of building on top of the basic data. Locations of houses and businesses and community buildings, directions, walking paths, biking routes... all of these things add value to the geographic information. I'd love to see OpenStreetMap grow in this direction. Regards -Doug Hi, Ben-

I totally agree with your point about survey data being freely available. As far as I know, government-collected data is only freely available in the US and (recently) Japan. I’m glad to see there’s a movement for opening this up.

But even if the data were all free and open, OpenStreetMap (or something like it) would still be needed.

For one, just having free data doesn’t provide the presentation service. The data is just numbers, the map is not the territory.

Another thing OpenStreetMap provides is a way for people to add their own data on top of official data. This is a much more interesting prospect than simple maps.

Google Maps, meanwhile, has a great model of building on top of the basic data. Locations of houses and businesses and community buildings, directions, walking paths, biking routes… all of these things add value to the geographic information. I’d love to see OpenStreetMap grow in this direction.

Regards
-Doug

]]> By: Ben Werdmuller http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/comment-page-1/#comment-20666 Ben Werdmuller Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:09:42 +0000 http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/#comment-20666 Ale, that's really interesting - I'll check it out and see if Oxford is participating. Thanks for passing it along; I definitely have a few things I'd like to suggest. Ale, that’s really interesting – I’ll check it out and see if Oxford is participating. Thanks for passing it along; I definitely have a few things I’d like to suggest.

]]> By: Ale Fernandez http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/comment-page-1/#comment-20665 Ale Fernandez Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:07:37 +0000 http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/#comment-20665 Hi Ben I've been following you on twitter for a while, but thought this better than a twitter reply to your last one: Have you heard of the Sustainable Communities Bill? It was set up by a group of charities (http://localworks.org) and was put together by lib dems, conservatives and labour (at least) together, so quite novel in that respect. The idea is some kind of watered down direct democracy attempt: you suggest things to your council, and your council can then request info it needs from central government, and if they (council and gov) then think it'll save them money or make your community more sustainable, they'll change whatever laws required to make that suggestion happen. Our council in Bristol has opted in to this, and are collecting suggestions until 1st May as a trial for this year. Not sure where you live, but if your council has opted in, we have a small window of opportunity to make these suggestions, and what you are talking about here is a great example of old stupid laws hampering things now and forcing us, and city councils too, to waste money. Hope that helps, Ale Hi Ben

I’ve been following you on twitter for a while, but thought this better than a twitter reply to your last one:

Have you heard of the Sustainable Communities Bill? It was set up by a group of charities (http://localworks.org) and was put together by lib dems, conservatives and labour (at least) together, so quite novel in that respect.

The idea is some kind of watered down direct democracy attempt: you suggest things to your council, and your council can then request info it needs from central government, and if they (council and gov) then think it’ll save them money or make your community more sustainable, they’ll change whatever laws required to make that suggestion happen. Our council in Bristol has opted in to this, and are collecting suggestions until 1st May as a trial for this year. Not sure where you live, but if your council has opted in, we have a small window of opportunity to make these suggestions, and what you are talking about here is a great example of old stupid laws hampering things now and forcing us, and city councils too, to waste money.

Hope that helps,

Ale

]]> By: Marcus Povey http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/comment-page-1/#comment-20663 Marcus Povey Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:03:55 +0000 http://benwerd.com/2009/04/there-shouldnt-need-to-be-an-openstreetmap/#comment-20663 Agreed, but there's a lot of things the government should be doing but isn't. If you excuse the shameless plug, but a lot of this sort of thing will likely be discussed in detail at Barcamp Transparency this summer - http://barcamptransparency.pbwiki.com/FrontPage! @mapkyca on twitter for details :) Agreed, but there’s a lot of things the government should be doing but isn’t.

If you excuse the shameless plug, but a lot of this sort of thing will likely be discussed in detail at Barcamp Transparency this summer – http://barcamptransparency.pbwiki.com/FrontPage!

@mapkyca on twitter for details :)

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