[Imports] Finland: usage of NLSF datasets (repost)

Pekka Sarkola pekka at gispo.fi
Wed May 9 05:20:24 UTC 2012


Dear Friends,

 

As I mentioned in my post in last December: National Land Survey of Finland
(later on: NLSF) has open all their topographic datasets on 1st of May. 

 

We have had lively discussion here in Finland among OSM activists about
these datasets. Mainly this discussion has been in encrypted mode (ie. in
Finnish). So as non-Finnish-speaking persons it might be difficult to
understand what's going on. Here short summary about discussion and current
plan of plan:

 

NLSF datasets are very good. Finland is very big country with very few
people (338k km2 / 5.4m inhabitans, Germany:  357k km2 / 81.8M inhabitants).
So it's obvious that we can get enough OSM mappers (No, we don't want
Germans here!).

 

NLSF data is collected wit tax payers money. Every OSM activist has already
paid smaller or bigger amount of taxes, VAT is 23%. So, NLSF data is our
data. 

 

NLSF terms of use is very open
(http://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/en/NLS_open_data_licence_version1_20120501)
.

 

DISCLAIMER: NO, WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO IMPORT NLSF DATA TO OSM!  To be sure
that everybody will understand: NO, WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO IMPORT NLSF DATA
TO OSM! I hope everybody understood by message ;-)

 

So, what's the plan? After several meetings, f2f discussion, forums and IRC
chats, we have common understanding: we have to benefit NLSF data in our
OpenStreetMap data collection. NLSF data is not perfect, in some areas OSM
data is better. Thas's why NLSF is planning to use OSM as hint data source.

 

Now there is several Finnish OSM activists who analysize NSLF data and try
to understand how we can benefit it. You can found their documentation here:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Maastotietokanta. Some work is also done
here: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Fi:Maastotietokanta/Luokat (this is
classification cross check table between NLFS topographic database and OSM
tags.

 

Here are some principles in our planning:

-          we don't overwrite anything from OSM

-          if NLSF feature is intersection OSM feature, OSM Feature will win
(usually)

-          if OSM feature has worst data source (like Landsat waters, Corine
Land Data Cover forests), it can be replaced by NLSF feature

-          NLSF data can be imported to OSM with semi-automated method: with
human interaction. Like NLSF buildings has been exported to osm-file, user
open file in JOSM and decide feature by feature what to do.

-          Automated imports are possible in the areas where we don't active
OSM mappers

-          NLSF orthophotos and raster maps are used to background
information to leverage OSM quality in various places.

 

All comments are welcomed!

 

If you like really test your GIS systems, you can download already NLSF
datasets via our torrent services. More information here:
http://paikkatieto.com/2012/05/08/downloading-national-land-survey-datasets/

 

Pekka

ps. DISCLAIMER2: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Import/Guidelines is
mandatory reading in Finnish schools ;-)

ps2. it seems that first post has vanished.

 

 

--

Pekka Sarkola

Gispo Oy

 <mailto:pekka.sarkola at gispo.fi> pekka.sarkola at gispo.fi   - GSM +358 40 725
2042

 <http://www.gispo.fi> www.gispo.fi -  <http://www.paikkatieto.com>
www.paikkatieto.com 

 

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