[Talk-ca] Canada Yellow Pages listings & OSM

Sam Vekemans acrosscanadatrails at gmail.com
Sat Oct 31 02:04:40 GMT 2009


Hi all,
In a message John mentioned how the yellow pages uses maps... and it's all
listed in Google search.

I remember meeting with the Yellow Pages group back in college for a school
project.  That was fun :)

... and basically, if the Yellow Pages Group sees that there is value in
designating a team at their office to make placemarks in osm for each
business listed, then they probably will.

They are certainly free to render their own version of the OSM map so it's
customized (cloudmade can do that easily). (we just like them to give the
proper attribution, just the same as if they would want to donate their
data, they would expect the same of us)

Its worth to note that http://www.mgmaps.com/kml/ exists, where by you can
load a layer on Google earth that will show osm's main mapnik render, and
osmarender, and cyclemap.  (As well as OpenAerial Map too.)  I like the 25%
transparency option, as you can see the imagery under it.
And so, just dont show the default map layers of Google Earth, and it looks
great. ... the point is, is that the 'directions' option, and the search
option still works.

Although it doesnt use the OSM database for the search, you can still find
things.   Afterall the geographical long/lat of the location of the company
is owned by yellow pages. (they can move it where they like). AFAIK

But in regards to copyright, of course, the above usage is 'personal
non-commercial use'.  .. and hey, most users use it that way.
.. .. there is an OSM project for the directory listings (just dont remember
the site at this time)

So in regards to the National Map data quality.  Well, our aim (and my aim)
is to have all the data available (in the next month or so). And over the
next 8 months (by september 2010) most of the data should be available on
osm.  ... Most certainly all the road network will be in there, with the
fantastic work of the geobase-road-crew.
... and for canvec, im sure there's others out there who will go bananna's
with the data, bringing it all in ;)

So ya, it would be great if the yellow pages approaches this group and asks
how they can help.
... having said that, i DO think that creating a non-profit OSM Canada
Foundation, where as a board of directors, we can be a main point of contact
for businesses such as these.

Fortunatly, were still 10 months away from literally putting Canada 'on the
map' litterally... so it's something we dont have to think about that much
until later.

... i started a wiki for it
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Canada_Foundation_%28proposed%29


Twitter: @Acrosscanada
Blog:  http://Acrosscanadatrails.blogspot.com
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