[Osmf-talk] Google (was AoA)

[80n]

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 1:19 PM, Jonathan Bennett <
openstreetmap at jonno.cix.co.uk> wrote:

> On 19/07/2011 12:57, fh.sainct wrote:
>
>> To me it is obvious that, if given the possibility, Google et al will
>> definitely step in, whatever the cost --just to know OSM strategy, and
>> clearly with objectives that are not nice. To say the least.
>>
> Then how do you explain Google's £5000 donation to OSMF[1] with no strings
> attached?
>
> Seriously, Google does have a "competing" product in Map Maker, but it's
> for us to explain why mapping for and using OpenStreetMap is a better idea,
> rather than being paranoid about being hijacked in some way. You never know,
> one day Google might start using the data as well.
>
> [1] http://donate.openstreetmap.**org/comments/<http://donate.openstreetmap.org/comments/>
>

This donation was from Google Open Source Programs Office
http://code.google.com/opensource/ not from the Google Maps division or the
Google Mapmaker division.

The remit of Google's Open Source Programs Office is to promote and nurture
open source projects.  One of the main ways they do this is the GSoC
programme.  The payment was sanctioned directly by Chris DiBona.  £5k is
probably well within his budget and it's unlikely that he needed to seek
approval higher up in the organisation, given that such a donation is
clearly consistent with the objectives assigned to his group.

There were no conditions attached to the donation, other than a question
from Chris "Are donations listed on your
site? We like getting credit."

80n
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