Categories
GIS Thoughts

RSA debate – my thoughts..

RSA Debate

So on Monday night I attended the RSA debate on the “Free our Data” campaign. I was originally scheduled to speak representing the OS, but was replaced on the night by my boss.. I was quite happy for this, as Vanessa is much better at representing Ordnance Survey and the other Trading Funds than myself, I sometimes have personal conflicting views with my organisation which often leak out by mistake !!

So what are my thoughts..

I very much enjoyed the event, not sure to what extent it was really a debate, many people came with their existing views and agenda well established and I doubt if many of these were changed by the end. I was very impressed that the event attracted so many people on a hot summers evening – well over 200 people !

Much of the debate did focus around the OS and its position in the UK GI market, you can understand why this happened, but I did feel for the non GI industry part of the audience, who may not have picked up on all the intricacies of some of the arguments around Ordnance Survey.

For me a key point that I personally think needs clarification is the difference between business models and licensing frameworks, in relation to the OS in particular. There remains an active and valid debate around the business model of OS which actually boils down to who pays – taxpayer or user and which model would provide the greatest benefit to UK PLC.

My personal views around this are quite clear and well known, in that I believe the user pays model is best, primary because it establishes a direct link between the beneficiary of data and the supplier. A model funded by general taxation would put the OS in the general melting pot of Government spending and traditionally, in all countries, the funding of geographic information is never high on any politicians agenda, look at the chronic underfunding of the USGS for example. This is not the case interestingly I would suggest for statistical information, which perhaps more directly is seen to drive policy ?

I think it is important however to separate out the business model debate from issues around the licensing of OS data which is of concern to some of the OS partners represented at the event.

I don’t think anybody would argue that there are no issues with current OS licensing, the framework today is a result of a number of years incremental additions, changes , and modifications which have resulted in something which is difficult to understand and even more difficult to change to better reflect the needs of our partners in rapidly changing markets.

There are some elements even, which I personally find very difficult to defend, but the bottom line here is that there is no silver bullet which is going to change these overnight – change is absolutely needed in my opinion, but it will take time and commitment both from the OS in trying to find simplicity while maintaining a level playing field, and from our partners who need almost unbearable patience.

if you attended I’d be interested in your views, the debate will be podcast in due course from the RSA website.

Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network.

Categories
Aviation GPS RIAT Technology

Where did I park the car ??

So this weekend, I indulged my passion for Aviation and went along to the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Arriving just after the airfield opened, I was directed to park, as is usual at airshows, in a field alongside 20,000 other cars in an environment with no real landmarks – how was I going to find my car again at the end of the show ?

The Problem

As a geospatial expert of course I had the solution to the problem in my bag, my trusty garmin GPS receiver within a minute or so I knew my car was parked at 51.67922,-01.81322.

Great I could now navigate back to my car at the end of the day, and be talked in by my Garmin.

The Solution

BTW My car if you are interested, was parked here as shown in Google maps..

And the show.. excellent, star for me was the Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt rotor. As a child the major influence on my understanding of technology was the TV series Thunderbirds, so I’m really pleased to see a design of aircraft that Gerry Anderson would appreciate.

Boeing MV-22B Osprey

To see my other pictures from the event just click on the picture above…

Categories
Thoughts

Why do CxO’s blog…

RSS logo

People often comment on the fact that as civil servant I am unusual in running a blog, well firstly I have always thought that I work for the Ordnance Survey, so although technically I am indeed a bowler hat wearing member of Her Majesties government, I describe myself as the CTO of the OS.. so a better question to ask might be why as a CTO do I run a blog.

A growing number of American chief executives rate blogs highly as employee communication tools, although to be fair a majority of them are not planning on starting their own..

In a study conducted by Burson-Marsteller and PRWeek., about 59 per cent of CEOs surveyed said they find blogs, useful for internal communications, while 47 per cent see them as tools for communication with external audiences. I completely agree with these findings, my blog certainly is read both inside the office in Southampton and around the UK, and by a wider external audience around the world, many of whom are our customers.

For me I think it is also important that a blog retains a certain about of independence, I make it clear that the comments I make here are my own and do not always represent the views of my employers.. now this is a fine line to tread and it has in the past resulted it a fair about of personal angst as my views have conflicted with the official OS line, nevertheless I think as demonstrated by late Scobleizer blog, recognising that an organisation is not perfect, is actually respected by a blogs readership, and reflects positively on the organisation itself.

What do you think ? I present a series of CxO blogs that, to a greater or lesser extent correspond to the above princple…

Microsoft CTO (and boss in waiting): Ray Ozzie
NOVELL CTO: Jeff Jaffe’s
SUN CEO: Jonathan Schwartz
ESRI Director of Products: David Maquire
Autodesk Director of Technology: Geoff Zeiss

Oh and no I don’t actually own a bowler hat, or a tie for that matter !!

Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network.