[OSM-talk] Will Google use OpenStreetMap? (was Re: [Talk-us] OSM Mentioned in NYTimes)

Sam Vekemans acrosscanadatrails at gmail.com
Thu Nov 19 03:19:21 GMT 2009


Hi again,

I just got my copy of yesterdays paper, (and changed the subject heading)

Well, it appears that the author hit the nail on the head, and highlighted
the discussion we've been having about this issue.

At the very end of it it says
"a Google spokeswoman, Elaine Filadelfo, said Google sometimes blocked
changes to contentious areas "with an eye to avoid back-and-forth editing".

Ie, an edit war.
It looks like the way the article was written, it shows that these 2 worlds
can co-exist.
... Google is still free to use OSM, and (i still believe) that Google will
use OSM as an option.
We all know why the map maker isn't available for the rest of the word.
That's because OSM is around as we do a great job.  Its only available in
those parts of the world that dont yet have great coverage.  (and reading
all the comments, it's pritty clear how its shown)

In a quick search, i noticed that on Mapmaker (search 'openstreetmap'),
there is a dispute about Kosovo and it's labelings... were all around the
world there are areas of dispute.   Our solution on OSM is to simply use the
'disputed=yes' tag... and just simply list both borders.
And we know the reason behind disputed borders... 'cause everyone uses a
different map when they made up the borders.
...  and since Google is not a non-profit organization, their data cant be
disputed. (its a one-way edit system)

I also noticed that someone was a comment that:
"I'll take my Rand-McNally any day as the absolute gospel."


.. and to get to a point, how do we handle 'edit wars'?  Well, we simply
encourage people to contact the other mappers and ask them directly what
there source was, ... and through discussion, and physically going to that
location it's easy to verify what it's 'supposed' to be like.

And oh ya, i noticed how Google Map Maker deals with Attribuition.  On the
Default map it says 'Contributed By Google Users' ... then as you zoom in to
the area's it lists who the top 3 contribuors are for the area... and the
link is a hyper-link to their profile. (this was a random pick)

"Contributed by
rjhintz<http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=66&uid=105385686494613771360>,
Long <http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=66&uid=114171869813481988393>,
Boi<http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=66&uid=105123571057939792044>and
others"

Maybe OSM can do the same?  and just say

"Contributed by name1, name2, name3 and other OpenStreetMap.org
contributors"
 map rendering copyright (c) cloudmade - Terms of Use
 map data copyright (ccBYsa) - OpenStreetMap.org and Contributors - Terms of
use

And have the terms of use link to the right pages.

.... just an idea :-)

...
So ya, and a point to make...
I think the article shows that Each map maker has their own market of
'unlimited potential'.
Were each has their own values..  If paper map makers want to use OSM (once
OSM is more complete) why not?  (and they have already started, as we make
it easier for them).
... i also like how the article is 'slightly' deceiving and (deliberately?)
confusing... as it puts a bug in peoples ear, and makes people realize that
the old paradigm of map making has changed, and so, when you look at a
standard map... you 'probably' should be going out there with your GPS and
marking the locations and going onto OpenStreetMap and fixing it so that
everyone knows what is 'more-right' :-)

Cheers,
Now back to mapping,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

On Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 6:05 AM, Sam Vekemans
<acrosscanadatrails at gmail.com>wrote:

> Awesome!
> (I was going to get the article tommorow (today), as there is a 1 day delay
> before it makes its way to Vancouver Island, (and take a photo of it, happy
> you beet me too it) :)
>
> Usually (IMO) for getting articles, i'd scan the top & bottom section of
> the front page, as well as the header & footer of the 2nd page,
>
> If it needs to be on 4 pages it's fine, as long as its all together in the
> same document.
> (OpenOffice Draw does it easily) (putting it landscape orientation, i think
> it would work?)
>
> That way, the source is properly identified. (at least that's how i
> remember it from school)
>
> I noticed that its possible to contact Miguel Helft directly to notify that
> a copy is being used to show on the wiki.openstreetmap.org site in the
> 'archives' section. Using the NYT website, (and to thank for the article)
> :)
>
> Maybe you'd like todo that Paul?
>
> http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/miguel_helf/index.html?inline=nyt-per
>
> Cheers,
> Sam
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 5:28 AM, Paul Jarratt <pej289 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi All
>>
>> I've scanned in the article and attached it. I'd be careful about
>> copyright issues if you're thinking of putting it up as a featured image.
>> Perhaps we could just feature the NYT logo and a link to the article or
>> something like that.
>>
>> Paul
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 6:10 PM, Sam Vekemans <
>> acrosscanadatrails at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks for sharing, thats AWESOME!
>>>
>>> If someone can take a photo of the actual article, then we can store it
>>> in the media archive (or put it on the featured images :)
>>>
>>> And a big thanks to Mr. Hintz who talked to the reporter who wrote the
>>> article, awesome.
>>>
>>> Im looking at the comments building up.  Great to read what all the
>>> non-mappers say about OSM, having read about it for the 1st time from this
>>> article. :-)
>>>
>>> Hopefully, our team here is able to 'politely' correct some 'miss-guided'
>>> statements.  :)
>>>
>>> And if anyone is around "Huntington Station Court in Alexandria VA"  a
>>> reader asked for that to be mapped, as apparently it's in correct  :) .. if
>>> its already in OSM, then it can be pointed out.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Sam
>>>
>>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 8:55 AM, Ian Dees <ian.dees at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I did read the whole article. My point was that OpenStreetMap is not
>>>> mentioned on the front page.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 10:52 AM, John F. Eldredge <john at jfeldredge.com
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> If you read the article, as opposed to just the front page, you will
>>>>> find OpenStreetMaps mentioned several times by name.
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> John F. Eldredge -- john at jfeldredge.com
>>>>> "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than
>>>>> not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Ian Dees <ian.dees at gmail.com>
>>>>> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:37:20
>>>>> To: <mk at koppenhoefer.com>
>>>>> Cc: OSM Talk<talk at openstreetmap.org>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [OSM-talk] OSM Mentioned in NYTimes
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> talk mailing list
>>>>> talk at openstreetmap.org
>>>>> http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> talk mailing list
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Talk-us mailing list
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>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Paul Jarratt
>> +1 650 454 6008
>>
>
>
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