[OSM-talk] Will Google ever use OSM data?

[Richard Fairhurst]

I'd seen a vague allusion to this but not actually heard the full  
response. Really interesting - Michael Jones of Google explaining why  
they don't use OSM data.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXDAFJTH6w#t=1m47s

To summarise: the only reason is that Google don't think our licensing  
works; they didn't actually want to launch a competitor; if OSM had  
"got its legal act in order" they wouldn't have launched Map Maker  
against us and would have used our data.

Being generally more disposed to the little guy and pretty sceptical  
about Google in particular, I take all of this with a Siberian  
saltmine or two.

But what I'm puzzled about is that he says Google were talking to OSM  
about licensing for a year. Presumably this was prior to the launch of  
Map Maker.

Map Maker was launched in July 2008. I was on the OSMF Board from  
summer 2007 to summer 2008, partly as the "legal guy", so would expect  
that "year" and some part of my year to have coincided. But I don't  
recall any mention of discussions with Google, either within OSMF or  
among the wider community. (I may be forgetful, of course.)

Basically, I have no idea what he's going on about.

Can anyone enlighten me?

cheers
Richard