[OSM-talk] Illegal activity

[Elizabeth Dodd]

On Sun, 1 Nov 2009, Martin Koppenhoefer wrote:
> 2009/11/1 Liz <edodd at billiau.net>
>
> > I have been to places which have traced streets, and where no aerial
> > imagery
> > from Yahoo or Landsat shows such detail. There were some GPS traces, but
> > not
> > enough to verify the entire traced area.
> > Having actually visited and mapped some of these places I came to the
> > conclusion that Google Maps satellite imagery was a partial source.
> >
> > I can't prove anything...
>
> What's the point of suspecting others to have infringed copyright, if you
> can't prove it? The absence of public traces does not mean that the person
> tracing there didnot have such traces. Lot's of people don't upload their
> traces (I do, but if you see the stats and from my communication with other
> mappers in my area I know that many mappers fear privacy issues).
>
> They might even have their own aerial imagery to trace, or insert roads
> just based on local knowledge.
>
> cheers,
> Martin

Because I can't prove it I can only suspect?
The standard of mapping involved made it obvious that this person had not been 
on the ground in the area mapping. 
For example, drawing back lanes and residential streets as equal (all 
residential), no names on the streets, and streets joined which did not meet
a crossing over a railway where there was none.
The likelihood of having their own aerial imagery is extremely low, but not 
impossible.