[OSM-talk] Google fumbles again in latin america

[Russ Nelson]

David Murn writes:
 > On Sat, 2010-11-06 at 22:58 -0400, Russ Nelson wrote:
 > > Apollinaris Schoell writes:
 > >  > I consider it improving osm by a human mapper according the spirit
 > >  > of the project instead a container full of imports with not much
 > >  > value. If a human surveys on ground or based on personal knowledge
 > >  > and image tracing it has 100 times more value than any imported
 > >  > data
 > > 
 > > I have some sympathy for your position, but I was told explicitly by
 > > the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that their
 > > shapefile is to be considered primary over the signs in the field.
 > > Thus, mapping NYS DEC Forest Lands in the field is 0 times more value
 > > than their authoritative shapefile, which I've imported.
 > 
 > How do you know that the shapefile is correct, unless you survey on the
 > ground?

Because the shapefile contains the listing of property that the DEC
claims to own, and over which people are free to travel without fear
of trespass.  It's not possible for anyone to verify the shape of the
data on the ground.  The reason it's in OSM is because we have more
attributes than the DEC has.  Someone on the ground could mark the
property as having a swimming area, where the DEC's data might not
have that.  THAT is verifiable on the spot, and THAT is why it belongs
in OSM.

-- 
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