[OSM-dev] Google Map Maker

[Andy Robinson (blackadder-lists)]

Sjors Provoost wrote:
>Sent: 24 June 2008 8:32 AM
>To: Openstreetmap Dev list
>Subject: Re: [OSM-dev] Google Map Maker
>
>> On 23 Jun 2008, at 23:33, SteveC wrote:
>>
>>> http://www.opengeodata.org/?p=307
>>>
>>>
>>> Google Want to be TeleAtlas
>>> Google have launched MapMaker, a kind of faux OpenStreetMap where they
>>> own all the data and you're only allowed to map in certain Freedom Of
>>> Speech Zones.
>
>I'm a little more positive for the moment, see my blog post:
>
>http://sprovoost.nl/2008/06/24/google-map-maker-and-openstreetmap-my-five-
>cents/
>
>In short, if Google and the OSM community are open for it, there is
>huge potential for collaboration. Google can provide the OpenStreetMap
>community with the massive scalable infrastructure they need and
>OpenStreetMap can provide Google with a community, map making
>experience and great tools.

The problem is that Google haven't come and spoken to OSMF at all. There has
been complete silence on this. I only see the shark swimming in circles
here, it wants the meat and it's going to use all its power to get it. If it
had any interest in collaborating with OSM and its community there would
have been a dialogue. There has been none.

I don't see anything positive in this announcement for OpenStreetMap, on the
contrary I think our efforts are being shafted.

Cheers

Andy