Categories
Thoughts

The Greatest story ever told…

OK maybe not, but the development of OpenStreetMap as told by its founding father, Steve Coast is going to be a great read. A truly game changing event in the mapping industry, the project has always attracted strong characters as contributors and in as much as it’s possible to say leaders. The story of how […]

Categories
Thoughts

VGI Motivation by Helicopter !

A common topic of discussion when the topic of Volunteered  Geographic Information ( hate the term but it’s was academics use) is motivation. Why expend your precious time adding a missing road to OpenStreetMap or Google Map Maker, why add a review of a Hotel to TripAdvisor ? Clearly there is the desire to fill in the […]

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Open Government Data Ordnance Survey Thoughts

So does Open GovData allow SME’s to flourish?

Within the first few weeks of joining the Ordnance Survey 10 years or so ago I was shown a prototype map of the New Forest printed on silk, for reasons anyone who has read the “Innovators dilemma” will understand it was never turning into a product, and I still have  the prototype in a drawer at home. […]

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Street VIew Thoughts

Germany doomed never to innovate ?

An interesting article by the BBC’s Berlin correspondent on Germany’s problem with Street View. The article suggests part of the reason why Germany seems to have such a problem accepting a service that is used in many other developed countries is a cultural distrust of the new, and an inability to innovate. The article quotes […]

Categories
Data Policy Ordnance Survey

So is the OS derived data issue now solved ?

Well from reading a couple of press releases the signs look hopeful… Both the OS and the Dept. of Communities and Local Government have announced the signing of the new Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA), a sole source long term contract for providing mapping data to all of the public sector. I’m sure this has not gone down […]