[Talk-ca] Fwd: [gvcc-members] Re: OpenStreetMap Vancouver Island Cyclemap Mappers meetup October 4th

[Sam Vekemans]

Hi James,
Richard Weait, on the talk-ca at openstreetmap.org listserv, explains it
better than i can.
Note: slight mixup, sorry,  James for Jim

Thanks Richard!

Cheers,
Sam

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Richard Weait <richard at weait.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 07:46:00 -0400
Subject: Re: [gvcc-members] Re: OpenStreetMap Vancouver Island
Cyclemap Mappers meetup October 4th
To: Sam Vekemans <acrosscanadatrails at gmail.com>

Dear Sam,

Please forward this to the gvcc list for me?

Best regards,
Richard

Dear Jim,

Sam misspoke regarding copyright in his earlier message to the gvcc
list.  As you supposed in your reply, OpenStreetMap is protected by
copyright and freely distributed.  OpenStreetMap is licensed under a
Creative Commons license[1], granting additional rights to each user
of the map, including using the map and sharing it with others.  This
generous license allows people with an interest specialty maps to make
those maps with OpenStreetMap.  Current projects that use
OpenStreetMap data to create specialty maps include, a map for
downhill skiers, topographic maps and a university campus map.[2]

The most widely used specialty map is probably the cyclemap[3].  It
was initially created by Andy Allan and Dave Stubs, two British
cyclists with a bone to pick; they want more and better cycleways.  So
they, and many others, add cycleway data to OpenStreetMap when the
data is missing, and they created software tools that make the map
work for cyclists.  Some cyclists load OpenStreetMap data on their
GPSes to find their way around, then when they discover a cycleway
that is not in OSM, they add it to the map, then load the improved map
back onto their GPS.

Lots of folks, around the world, are using OpenStreetMap and
contributing to the project.  That 'contributing' part is pretty
important.  OpenStreetMap allows contributors to make improvements to
the map data wherever improvements can be found.  So, if you know that
there is a cycleway between A and B, you can add it to OSM and the
rest of the world can see it on the map within days.[4]

Sam, from Vancouver Island, is intensely interested in Canadian
recreational trails.  I'm interested in golf courses and Toronto
neighbourhoods.  Sam and I are both part of a small group that is
helping to import to OSM a large amount of data donated by the
Canadian government.  And many thousands[5] of other contributors
around the world are participating in OSM according to their interest
and abilities.

So if you, or other gvcc-ers are interested in maps, and specifically
in maps that you can use and improve and maps that you can feel pride
of ownership in, then please consider joining Sam at the OpenStreetMap
meetup.[6]  He'll be able to demonstrate how to use some of the
software we use and you'll be meet other folks with similar interests.
 And be sure to drop by one of my meetups in Toronto or Waterloo if
you are out this way.  As I said earlier, their are thousands of
OSMers around the world, and these mapping meetups happen in many
cities.

OpenStreetMap - It's fun.  It's free.  You can help.

Best regards,
Richard Weait.
weait.com


[1] http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
[2] http://openpistemap.org/ http://toposm.com/co http://map.umd.edu/map/
[3] http://opencyclemap.org/
[4] Actually some changes can be seen in minutes, but few believe that
until they see it in action.
[5] 156,641 users as of this morning.  Again, folks initially have a
hard time believing this!
[6] http://www.meetup.com/OpenStreetMap-Vancouver-Island-Mappers/calendar/11303718/



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