[OSM-talk] OSMF to provide commercial tile service? [WAS: something else]

[Serge Wroclawski]

On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 3:31 PM, Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org> wrote:

> Yes but there is no OpenStreetMap map. There is an OpenStreetMap database.

The "osm default mapnik render" is the "OSM map"- let's not squabble
over words. The style is part of the OSM repository. Do you have a
better name?
> A commercial operation could not
> simply change their map style overnight without telling anybody (like we
> do). A commercial operation would have to guarantee certain service levels
> (which we don't). If one of your commercial users runs amok and adversely
> affects the others, then you cannot tell the others "sorry but there was a
> bad guy" (like we currently do) - they will ask to be protected from that.
> And so on.

For those people wanting assurances, there are plenty of commercial providers.

> My point is that you cannot simply do commerical tiles on the side - it
> requires business planning, product and pricing design, and paid staff to
> make it happen. Staff that must be overseen of course, and business risks
> that must be taken into account. All that creates a lot of work and I am not
> sure if there will be a net benefit. You make it sound as if selling tiles
> was a low-hanging fruit that we would be foolish to ignore. From my own
> business experience, I tend to disagree.
>
> I also disagree with your point that tile users "do not want someone else's
> map but they want OpenStreetMap".

They want direct association with the project. They want to be
affiliated with the project, and they want to support the project.

The mailing is is full of "Can I pay you to use your tiles?". At some
point one starts to think "Why aren't we giving them what they want?"

To address this, I made two suggestions:

1. OSMF run its own tile server separate from the core infrastructure,
which could serve this need, providing these application providers
(and others) a clear path to support OSM and get what they've
requested. Profits from this could benefit the project.

2. OSMF officially endorse vendors who contribute back to the project.
This eliminates the need for the infrastructure and allows you
commercial map providers a way to be officially endorsed by the
project, probably increasing your customer numbers.


I go back to my central point: We're spending a lot of time blocking
people and explaining to people why they're blocked. Let's find a way
to turn this adversarial relationship into a cooperative one. Do you
have a suggestion on how to do this?

- Serge