[talk-au] Usage of Openstreetmap at EMSINA

[stevea]

Thanks, Ewen:  you have inspired me to dig up his business card (hm, where’d I put it?!) and do exactly that.  Yes, I’m sure "a waiver could be signed and copyright sorted,” as we really do have open data laws here and I’m sure with the rightly-worded request, it could be done legally and without revealing whatever might be “privileged.”  There ARE such things (I wouldn’t want MY neighborhood’s gate code to be made public if I live on a road where each of us, for example, has 15 hectares and shares an access road / gate code).  That’s not what I’m interested in, but the fact there is a road, and a gate, yeah, I could see that making its way into OSM.  I’m quite respectful of access=no and access=private, having tagged quite a few of those (after I discovered them, which is almost the only way for OSM to do that — well, very well / “correctly,” politely / legally, anyway).

What we have (in my little county) is pretty darn good (I think nearly every public road and pretty darn close to “most if not all” private roads, excluding really well-hidden driveways), but the really, really obscure (usually dirt) roads that allow access to “miles way, way back there” are surely missing in some cases, and those are like catnip for this mapping cat.  Yes, they are private as heck, but I suppose the “for completeness sake” in me craves those data.

It’s like finishing a crossword puzzle:  you aren’t done ’til you’re done!

> On Sep 13, 2022, at 2:54 AM, Ewen Hill <ewen.hill at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Steve,
>   Thanks for the interesting tale. Remember that if you only use the end product through paper maps, mobile data terminals then it is a "black box product" that is difficult to discuss, especially for an area commander whose talents may be in other areas. The Calfire crews I have met have been nothing short of open and accommodating
> 
>    Back in 2005/2006, one part of Australia provided 1275 local fire brigades, base maps that they then went out and validated (e.g bridge limits, forestry tracks and private tracks that can be used in a pinch), and returned. Bridge limits are important if you are carrying 3000kg of wet stuff on the back and 2wd/4wd access is also important.  This was then compiled into paper and online maps and has grown significantly since.
> 
>   These maps have around 80 layers compiled from a lot of government data (already available to OSMers) but has a number of layers that OSMers may not need like brigade turn out areas, initial response tables where your house may be a two truck initial response but the house next door maybe 4 trucks due to potential hazards. There is a lot more privileged and operational data that is not suitable for distribution.
> 
>   You should probably be looking at the land management, water infrastructure and transport departments who control the layers we OSMers are interested in to get the waiver signed and copyright sorted.
> 
> Ewen
> <remainder redacted>