[Osmf-talk] "ArcGIS supports Openstreetmap"
Sam Larsen
samlarsen1 at yahoo.co.uk
Mon Sep 13 01:30:17 UTC 2010
>
> > As long as ESRI are not going around actively trying to destroy the project
> > (which i don't really think they could do anyway), then the old anti-ESRI
> > argument is not really worth discussion on this list.
>
> It was not my intention to trip any anti-ESRI switch. ESRI does what it
>collectively does. I was amazed to see OSM support in ArcGIS10 circulating on
>"Twitter". I don't know anyone at ESRI, i have never in my life used a piece of
>ESRI software, etc etc. I have no idea what they could donate or promote in
>kind, instead of money - a number of network nodes on a Cassandra network, for
>example - http://cassandra.apache.org/ - or support for a pilot project with
>open national mapping data.
Jo, my name is Sam Larsen. I am from ESRI (UK) - nice to meet you. I think the
impact of traditional GIS software suppliers like ESRI will be in exposing a
large number of GIS users who have very little contact with open source &
collective works to the world of OSM. These users may not have a lot of
knowledge of the open source world, but many will have a lot of experience in
GIS. How involved they get really remains to be seen. I feel as protective of
the project as many others and do worry about large companies charging in,
however, i feel that in the spirit of openness (which is really what we are all
about) we should embrace all those who show an interest in OSM. I think we are
strong enough as a community to withstand 'commercial influence' (ignoring
current license debate ;)
>
> This could be a sharp kind of double-edged sword.
Any number of current happenings in OSM could turn out to be a sharp kind of
double-edged sword (including current license debate ;).
> But the alternative appears to be the OSM Foundation scraping around for
>support for hosting, while commercially exploiting entities create millions of
>measured value in venture capital. And i don't understand that...
If what you are trying to say is that you feel uneasy with ESRI services
consuming large numbers of map tiles - then raise the issue in plain english and
we can have a doalogue with ESRI & those who make decisions regarding the fair
usage policy. I am pushing for more hosted services from ESRI (who certainly
have the capability to do that), however, i am not the MD, so these things may
take longer than I might like.
I really don't care what other people are doing, who is earning what & who is
creating what - as long as we are enjoying what we are doing. Frankly, if
someone creates something worth a lot of money and sells it - that's great, for
me, that is what it's all about; getting past all the restrictions of data so we
can get on with creating valuable uses for our data. Is it open or not?
Sam
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