Google Maps - the great debate (copyright issues and the OS)

[Andrew Beeken]

So, this is a big subject for me at the mo. I see a lot of potential
in being able to embed data, especially for sharing mapped information
that many organisations have already put time into creating with their
heavy duty GIS systems, however there are issues with the OS
preventing us from adding our data to GMaps out of these systems due
to copyright claims.

I was hoping that this would come up at #googlelocalgov; it was
touched upon very briefly but didn't really go anywhere. I'd like for
some of the Google bods to enter into this discussion so that we can
get a bead on where things are with this; are discussions with the OS
going on? What are the legal implications for "reproducing"
information (i.e. recreating from scratch)? What about the KML and RSS
files generated by GMaps; are these fair use?

Lets discuss!

[Dave Briggs]

Hey Andrew

Thanks for raising this. A discussion has broken out again on Twitter
on this topic too!

I'm interested in seeing if we can bottom this out properly. I've
hunting down contacts within Ordnance Survey in the hope that I can
get them to engage with us here, and perhaps draw in some of the
Google guys into the conversation too.

Also, I was interested to read in Ingrid's recent blog post [http://
ideapolicy.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/linked-data-swings-and-
roundabouts/] about the Local Government Information House [http://
www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8021533] who have something
called the Mapping Services Agreement [http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/
page.do?pageId=8035840] and a Business Manager, Digital Mapping. Would
be good to get them in on this conversation, I feel.

Mapping is also definitely going to be a major theme for LocalGovCamb
[http://localgovcamb.com].

Dave

[Andrew Beeken]

Hi Dave!

Great article from Ingrid there, very good thought provoker. Playing
field locations is something so simple to push out there, similar to
the car park locations I use on the CoLC website. Maps themselves are
such a straightforward example of shared information because unlike,
say, a big old XML file detailing councilloe expenditure, Johnny
Public is more likely to look at a map!

I think that the beauty of Google Maps is that it does produce the RSS
and KML files which can then be pulled and tweaked into other web apps
- and this is all done for you! There was a question in the comments
of Ingrid's blog post regarding councils supplying the data in
different formats and how to standardise delivery; well the answer is
there!

In fact this is the foundation of the now in dormant LA Mapping
Project that I started a few months back with Stuart Harrison (http://
grou.ps/localauthoritymapping) - the belief that if we all simply
utilise these services to publish our data, we will eventually be able
to pull together as complete a data set as possible from across the
country.

Just needs a little bit of working together...

On Aug 20, 4:57 pm, Dave Briggs <d...@vebrig.gs> wrote:
> Hey Andrew
>
> Thanks for raising this. A discussion has broken out again on Twitter
> on this topic too!
>
> I'm interested in seeing if we can bottom this out properly. I've
> hunting down contacts within Ordnance Survey in the hope that I can
> get them to engage with us here, and perhaps draw in some of the
> Google guys into the conversation too.
>
> Also, I was interested to read in Ingrid's recent blog post [http://
> ideapolicy.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/linked-data-swings-and-

> roundabouts/] about the Local Government Information House [http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8021533] who have something

> called the Mapping Services Agreement [http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/
> page.do?pageId=8035840] and a Business Manager, Digital Mapping. Would
> be good to get them in on this conversation, I feel.
>
> Mapping is also definitely going to be a major theme for LocalGovCamb
> [http://localgovcamb.com].
>
> Dave
>
> On Aug 17, 3:19 pm, Andrew Beeken <abee...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > So, this is a big subject for me at the mo. I see a lot of potential
> > in being able to embed data, especially for sharing mapped information
> > that many organisations have already put time into creating with their
> > heavy duty GIS systems, however there are issues with the OS
> > preventing us from adding our data to GMaps out of these systems due
> > to copyright claims.
>
> > I was hoping that this would come up at #googlelocalgov; it was
> > touched upon very briefly but didn't really go anywhere. I'd like for
> > some of the Google bods to enter into this discussion so that we can
> > get a bead on where things are with this; are discussions with the OS
> > going on? What are the legal implications for "reproducing"
> > information (i.e. recreating from scratch)? What about the KML and RSS
> > files generated by GMaps; are these fair use?
>

> > Lets discuss!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Steve Dale]

If anyone who wants to get more information about the IDeA Mapping Services Agreement, then they might want to join the CoP of the same name!

Best wishes

Steve

2009/8/24 Andrew Beeken <abe...@gmail.com>

--
Steve Dale

M: 07769 908777
Skype: stephendale
Blog: http://steve-dale.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephendale
Friendfeed: http://friendfeed.com/dissident

[Ingrid Koehler]

Oh hey, I forgot about your project - although I've used it as an example before (bad me, should really make a practice of checking back through my delicious).  Please leave a comment on the post. http://ideapolicy.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/linked-data-swings-and-roundabouts/

[Andrew Beeken]

Hi Ingrid! I actually meant to put this as a comment on your blog but
forgot (d'oh!). I have now done so! Ironically I was asked the other
day if we could produce a map of our playing field locations for the
web, so that will be added to our data library soon!


On Aug 25, 9:46 am, Ingrid Koehler <ingrid.l.koeh...@googlemail.com>
wrote:

> Oh hey, I forgot about your project - although I've used it as an example
> before (bad me, should really make a practice of checking back through my

> delicious).  Please leave a comment on the post.http://ideapolicy.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/linked-data-swings-and-rou...

> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -