FOSS4G'13

The working site for the conference committee of FOSS4G 2013

Guardian article on Google Maps

Posted by Barry Rowlingson on December 9, 2012

There's an article on yesterday's Guardian on Brian McClendon and google's maps strategy. Any of us reading it will be going 'yes, OpenStreetMap has been doing that for years'. I believe we could write a response either as a letter to the editor or perhaps see if they want to write a proper article, what with the Guardian being keen on opening our data and FOSS4G being in the UK this year...

A letter to the editor would be something like this:
==
Dear Guardian,

 Your article about Google's Brian McClendon and their mapping strategy completely missed out a major player in the internet mapping space - OpenStreetMap (OSM). This project has been making maps online since 2004. All data is user-contributed and made public under the OpenDatabase License which, unlike Google's MapMaker, allows free re-use. Several large commercial web sites have recently switched to using OSM maps, and the free and open nature of the data has made it especially attractive to humanitarian projects.
 If "whoever controls the map controls the territory" then it is vital that our maps be free and open to all not just for use, but for re-use and contribution. In September next year the FOSS4G conference - the global meeting for those who want a more open approach to geospatial data - is happening in Nottingham, and is a great opportunity for the UK to position itself in the open mapping arena.

Steven Feldman, Chair FOSS4G2013 Nottingham

Address (not for publication)
Feldman Cottage
Feldman Street
Feldmanton
[insert your address here, papers wont publish without it]
==

[I don't know if its worth adding a bit about further press info contact, or asking if they want a full article or whatever]

So, any edits and adjustments, and then Steven needs to send this off to:

letters@guardian.co.uk

I did consider another paragraph about McClendon's blog boast of a new motorway in Bulgaria appearing on Google Maps, which people then pointed out had been in OSM for years, but we are still after Google for sponsorship money aren't we?

Need to get this out today for publication on Monday.

Comments

Steven Feldman on December 9, 2012:

Internet ever so patchy here. Can send on Wednesday or one of you can send
on my behalf if you think response needed before then

Regards
Steven Feldman

+44 (0) 7958 924101
Sent from my iPhone

Barry Rowlingson on December 10, 2012:

Is the text as written on Basecamp okay to go as is? I'll send it on behalf
of the committee as long as I can get more than just Steven rubber stamping
the text. Here it is:

Dear Guardian,

Your article about Google's Brian McClendon and their mapping strategy
completely missed out a major player in the internet mapping space -
OpenStreetMap (OSM). This project has been making maps online since 2004.
All data is user-contributed and made public under the OpenDatabase License
which, unlike Google's MapMaker, allows free re-use. Several large
commercial web sites have recently switched to using OSM maps, and the free
and open nature of the data has made it especially attractive to
humanitarian projects.

If "whoever controls the map controls the territory" then it is vital that
our maps be free and open to all not just for use, but for re-use and
contribution. In September next year the FOSS4G conference - the global
meeting for those who want a more open approach to geospatial data - is
happening in Nottingham, and is a great opportunity for the UK to position
itself in the open mapping arena.

Steven Feldman, Chair FOSS4G2013 Nottingham

Well? Perfect? Too much of a plug? Wrong? Comments please!

Jo Cook on December 10, 2012:

Looks good- add a link to the website!

Jo

Addy Pope on December 10, 2012:

Looks good, but i thought OSM were starting to charge when you reaches a certain number of map requests.  I am probably wrong and getting mixed up.  Certainly, OSM has the advantage of being "free" when a map is placed behind a login, something that google will charge you for.

Good plug though.  We should certainly push the hack events through the Guardian Data store.

Rollo Home on December 10, 2012:

Suggest copying in to Charles Arthur - he's the person behind FreeOurData at the Gaurdian (http://www.charlesarthur.com/contact.php) but did not write the article you're responding to. He's someone that should be made aware of FOSS4G anyway (along with Sarah Harltey: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/sarah-hartley - she's supported AGI_NG).

Mike Saunt on December 10, 2012:

Why not invite them to the event?

Barry Rowlingson on December 10, 2012:

++1 on that. What's the deal with 'media partners'?

Addy Pope on December 10, 2012:


does anyone know Simon Rogers?  simon.rogers@guardian.co.uk He might e the chap to speak to about getting Guardian DataStore on-board.  

Barry Rowlingson on December 13, 2012:

I've not sent this letter to the Guardian, since I was hoping for it to be a quick response to the Saturday article. Perhaps a strategic response is a better idea, especially via the assorted contacts and names brought up here.

Antony Scott on December 13, 2012:

Good idea – maybe with the Apple maps debacle too, they’d be interested in a feature at some stage.

Antony