[OSM-dev] USGS fork of OpenStreetMap

[Eric Wolf]

The license issue makes it difficult to dedicate USGS resources for direct
contribution to OSM. Specifically, the data the USGS releases has to be
completely free from restrictions. The OODB license that OSM uses places
requirements on data consumers. There are people exploring shifting the USGS
license model but that may take an Act of Congress (literally!).

Of course, this means all of the data in a USGS fork can be put into OSM.
Also, any code changes we make would be offered to the community.

-Eric

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Eric B. Wolf                           720-334-7734





On Wed, Jul 28, 2010 at 8:17 PM, Paul Johnson <baloo at ursamundi.org> wrote:

> On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:27:49 -0600, Eric Wolf wrote:
>
> > An initial project has started at the USGS to explore using the OSM
> > stack to facilitate our data integration and, eventually, involve more
> > user generated content (i.e., give a home to The National Map Corps).
> > The project is currently titled the OpenStreetMap Collaborative
> > Prototype (OSMCP). It's a really small team (three people, part time)
> > working on this. Initially we are working with a state GIO (geographic
> > information office), loading their data into OSMCP, configuring the
> > tools to use our schema and then co-editing the data. It's really just a
> > "see what temperature the water is" kind of project right now but will
> > be expanding later this year and next.
>
> Given the sparsity of mappers in the United States, why not directly
> contribute to the project, rather than attempting to fork it?  The USGS
> could be a bigger asset to OSM than the US Census.
>
>
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>
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