[OSM-talk-nl] Ja hoor! Ordnance Survey offers free use of map data

[Floris Looijesteijn]

vers van de pers:

http://www.pcw.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2242355/ordnance-survey-offers-free-map

About-turn follows years of criticism over restrictions on publically
owned data
Clive Akass, Personal Computer World 15 May 2009
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Britain’s Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping agency is making its data freely
available in a major about-turn caused partly by increased competition
from the likes of Google Maps.

It has launched an enhanced portal, OS Openspace, which allows businesses,
government organisations and individuals to use and application
programming interface (API) to use data on sites and other media.

The site includes sample Java code that can be incorprated into web pages
and for the first time boundary information on areas such as wards,
boroughs, constituencies is freely available.

An ‘innovation network’ called Geovation has been set up to allow OS users
develop ideas, collaborate and get financial backing.

Also OS co-ordinates, which are owned by the organisation, can now be used
in GPS systems – something that should result in fewer people getting lost
when walking across countryside.

Ordnance Survey, which has it roots in 18th century military survey
projects, gave Britain some of the best and best-loved maps in the world.
But it has been widely criticised for charges and restrictions on use of
its data since 1999 when it was set up as a so-called Trading Fund, which
meant that it had to pay its way like a business.

It was widely perceived as having a monopoly on UK geographical data,
though this position has been undermined by DIY sites such as
OpenStreetMap and PeoplesMap that allow you to build maps from aerial
photos.

A government review last month, called the Trading Funds Assessment,
outlined a strategy for creating simpler and easier access to geographic
data, though it concluded that the quality of OS data was more likely to
be maintained using a commercial model rather than through public funding.

This means the OS still needs to fund itself. So users will have to pay
for the use of data from which they are then directly making money, for
instance by charging for a service. And sites getting more than a
threshold number of visitors will incur charges – see the OS site for
details.

The new strategy is unlikely to settle one irritation. Local authorities
are unable to superimpose on to Google maps OS-based information on the
location of local facilities. The reason, according to an OS spokesman, is
that Google claims the right to reproduce any such information freely
worldwide – effectively taking ownership of it. “We don’t have that
problem with Microsoft maps,” said the spokesman.