-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: British OS launches free data site: Data really isn't free
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:44:37 -0400
From: Russell Guy <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship
<[log in to unmask]>
References: <[log in to unmask]>
One thing the articles all seem to ignore is the cost factor. Since
OS has been self-sustaining and not receiving national gov't
financial support, giving away their product instead of charging for
it means they have to replace that revenue somewhere. The OS still
have the same amount of work as before, and probably more as they now
have to maintain a public access website. I hate to think what the
customer service requirements will be while the general public learn
to use the site and manipulate the data. The gov't report talked
about a "commercial contract" with OS to supply and maintain the
various databases, but there were no details.
It will be interesting to see how this is all financed.
Russell
At 03:25 PM 4/2/2010, you wrote:
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: RE: British OS launches free data site: UK newspaper article
>Date: Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:17:45 -0500
>From: Angie Cope <[log in to unmask]>
>Organization: American Geographical Society Library
>To: Maps-L <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>If you were having trouble with that link - try this
>
>http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/os-maps-no1-in-the-charts-since-1747-1934059.html
>
>-a-
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: RE: British OS launches free data site: UK newspaper article
>Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 20:02:25 +0100
>From: Francis Herbert <[log in to unmask]>
>To: 'Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship'
><[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>Russell:
>
>And, should anyone be interested in at least one British 'quality'
>newspaper's reaction, you can refer to either the hard copy of 'The
>Independent' (London) for today, 2 April 2010, article 'No. 1 in the
>charts since 1717' (full page 15, with 2 col. images); or to the online
>version (with only 1 image - omitting the hard copy's folded and rather
>worn OS map heading the page):-
>
>www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/os-maps-no1-in-the-charts-sin
>ce-1747-1934059.htm
>
>One may be 'pressed' [an inevitable Francis Herbert pun (as April
>Carlucci will confirm)] to locate a copy of what the journalist,
>Jonathan Brown, cites as Dr Richard Oliver's publication 'A Short
>History of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain'. Perhaps he intended to
>cite 'Ordnance Survey maps : a concise guide for historians', 2nd ed.,
>rev. & expanded (London : The Charles Close Society [for the Study of
>Ordnance Survey Maps], 2005), ISBN 1-870598-24-5|?
>
>Francis (Herbert)
>Past Member (when Curator of Maps, RGS-IBG, London), International Map
>Trade Association
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angie Cope
>Sent: 01 April 2010 15:41
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: British OS launches free data site
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: British OS launches free data site
>Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2010 09:48:41 -0400
>From: Russell Guy <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>The British Ordnance Survey has released the gov't report on the future
>direction of the OS, including what data will be released free of charge
>for private, public, and commercial use. The report is available at
>http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/pdf/1528263.pdf . It
>is interesting in that the British gov't is now setting up a "commercial
>contract" with OS for funding at least some of the costs of the OS,
>whereas the OS was fully self-supporting up to now.
>
>The OS also launched today its new "OS OpenData" website at
>www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendata
><http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendata> where the public can download
>the various free data sets, including medium scale vector data, etc.
>According to the OS, the new site is very overloaded today and users may
>get a request for user i.d. and password. This requirement is a glitch
>due to the overland and OS is working to fix it.
>
>It will be interesting to see what paper maps get discontinued due to
>funding considerations. The OS has already announced the end of its
>very popular 1:250,000 Travelmaster road map series as well as its
>single-sheet Routemaster road map.
>
>Cheers
>Russell Guy [log in to unmask]
>Omnimap.com http://www.omnimap.com
><http://www.omnimap.com/>P.O. Box 2096
> Tel.: 800-742-2677 (USA only)
>1004 South Mebane St. Tel.: 336-227-8300
>(International)
>Burlington, NC 27216-2096 USA Fax: 336-227-3748
>Past President (1996) and Member, International Map Trade Association
**************************************************************************************
Russell Guy [log in to unmask]
Omnimap.com http://www.omnimap.com
P.O. Box 2096 Tel.: 800-742-2677 (USA only)
1004 South Mebane St. Tel.: 336-227-8300
(International)
Burlington, NC 27216-2096 USA Fax: 336-227-3748
Past President (1996) and Member, International Map Trade Association
**************************************************************************************
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