[Openstreetmap] Fwd: Evolving roles for mapping agencies?

[Roger Longhorn]

To potential metadata-related eContentPlus crowd,

Of some interest, based on the importance that USA appears to now be 
placing on metadata in regard to trying to get its National Map concept 
back on track. Note that citizens will be able to add their own data at 
some future time. If this is all going to be 'formalized' metadata, which 
is what OGC-compliant Web Services tools will expect to handle, what 
happens to the 'fuzzy' metadata concept raised by members of the break-out 
group at the NIEeS workshop in July? Do we now need a new class of 'fuzzy 
metadata' OGC specifications? (That one is for Mike Jackson, Director of 
OGC, Inc. and OGC-Europe! ;>)

Roger
ral at alum.mit.edu

>Date: Tue, 09 Aug 2005 17:23:52 +0200
>From: Jeff Thurston <jeffthurston at geoconnexion.com>
>To: Roger Longhorn <ral at alum.mit.edu>
>Subject: Re: Evolving roles for mapping agencies?
>
>Roger,
>
>The debate is well beyond Open Source and GIS companies. The companies 
>already see the future as being in web services. The desktop is a small 
>and smaller part of most operations.
>
>Metadata will drive services. It is a crucial part. National Geographic 
>puts metadata (from and to schools) in the driver seat.
>
>Actually, the idea is to get standards humming. That will be like the key 
>in the door to unlock web services.
>
>What we need is more guys like you who can converse on both sides of the 
>tracks - to GIS and standards folks. They don't get it.
>
>Roger Longhorn wrote:
>
>>At 13:22 09/08/2005 +0200, you wrote:
>>
>>>Roger,
>>>
>>>ESRI recently announced that they are partnered w ith Geo-spatial One 
>>>Stop and National Geographic in a new venture that builds on these 
>>>agencies. Globeexplorer, Tele Atlas and  EarthData are also involved.
>>>
>>>I was at the press conference when these agencies announced this and 
>>>asked what the scoop was. Essentially, National Geographic would be 
>>>providing their NGS site in a higher octane version for education. The 
>>>other agencies would tap into it, but the overall thought is that 
>>>National Geographic would lend the concepts of metadata to the project 
>>>to really kick this off. It is envisioned that these other agencies will 
>>>contribute data at all scales and ideally...IF ...I see this right, the 
>>>public would be building on top of this, a la Googlmania.
>>
>>I see enormous scope here in drafting legally defensible 'limit to 
>>liability' statements! Quality control? Fitness for purpose? Metadata to 
>>capture and express both these concepts in a way that anyone can understand?
>>
>>>This is how they plan to build the American NSDI.
>>
>>Good luck. As Keiran Millard noted in an exchange of e-mails earlier 
>>regarding how INSPIRE is apparently being developed - i.e. mainly by 
>>volunteers and voluntary time and money - perhaps that *is* the role 
>>model for the future or the only way anything meaningful is going to get 
>>done. I wonder where our professional standards makers will sit in all 
>>this citizen-centric work? The GIS 'industry' itself, i.e. the tools 
>>vendors, couldn't give a toss, as long as they can keep selling GIS kit. 
>>The only thing they might someday worry about is greater expansion of the 
>>open source toolkits - in easy-to-use and install formats - onto desktops 
>>or mobile devices - for free.
>>
>>Kind regards
>>
>>Roger
>>ral at alum.mit.edu
>
>--
>Jeff Thurston
>Editor
>Geoconnexion International Magazine
>Berlin, Germany
>tel. 49. 30.2404.9890

Roger A. Longhorn
Director, Info-Dynamics Research Associates Ltd
EC Projects Office
1A Potters Cross, Wootton
Bedfordshire MK43 9JG, U.K.
Computer voicemail & Fax +44 (0)870 134 6492
E-mail: ral at alum.mit.edu
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