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Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

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Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#71

> Microsoft Bing uses OSM in several regions, and is slowly moving from it’s traditional providers to OSM globally. They provide machine-learning (ML) datasets that they have computed from areal imagery. They employ nobody in the OSM community. Microsoft Bing made its aerial imagery available for OSM editing, this is often very very very useful for mapping (speaking from own experience as an OSM mapper). See https://…

> costs basically nothing to Microsoft

I wouldn't be surprised if this agreement was a big headache when Microsoft is licensing imagery from various satellite imagery providers.

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#74

Here is why you should contribute to OSM even though there are major players profiting from it: OSM is big enough and good enough that all the tech giants (except Google) would do better to start with OSM and improve it to meet their needs than to start a new, completely proprietary map from scratch. That means that we are in an amazing place where in addition to the substantial volunteer OSM community, there are con…

I second Julian here, as the founder of another company (in profile) that profits heavily from OSM's data set.

It's amazing how good OSM is today, and the rate at which it's expanding and improving means it will only get much better over time.

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#75

> Microsoft Bing uses OSM in several regions, and is slowly moving from it’s traditional providers to OSM globally. They provide machine-learning (ML) datasets that they have computed from areal imagery. They employ nobody in the OSM community. Microsoft Bing made its aerial imagery available for OSM editing, this is often very very very useful for mapping (speaking from own experience as an OSM mapper). See https://…

> costs basically nothing to Microsoft I wouldn't be surprised if this agreement was a big headache when Microsoft is licensing imagery from various satellite imagery providers.

EDIT: I rephrased to

> cost of that is basically nothing to Microsoft

---------------

I am unaware about internal Microsoft proceedings, but it seems possible.

Though I guess that given Microsoft scale and benefits from that it should be possible to describe it as "costs basically nothing to Microsoft"

It is not low sum, I would be bankrupted either by lawyer consultations on this topic and by extra server traffic if I would be paying for that, but on Microsoft scale it is probably nothing.

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#76
I use OSM data for free too, and don't employ anyone from OSM.

Why wouldn't I fix the data around where I live, if I can, and if it helps me, and everyone else trying to navigate here? I fix stuff here, someone else fixes stuff somewhere else, there are also gamified apps (atleast one), where you can get "badges" to input basic data to OSM, and everyone profits.

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#77

> Microsoft Bing uses OSM in several regions, and is slowly moving from it’s traditional providers to OSM globally. They provide machine-learning (ML) datasets that they have computed from areal imagery. They employ nobody in the OSM community. Microsoft Bing made its aerial imagery available for OSM editing, this is often very very very useful for mapping (speaking from own experience as an OSM mapper). See https://…

> costs basically nothing to Microsoft I wouldn't be surprised if this agreement was a big headache when Microsoft is licensing imagery from various satellite imagery providers.

Well we have SpaceX now... and Microsoft is a trillion dollar company.

Launch some satellites.

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#78
Google Maps is built on uncompensated user submissions, much of it involuntary (data from navigation, live and historical location, etc).

We aren't their customers, we're the employees. That's why data ownership is such a verboten topic, it breaks their entire model.

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Question: if I contribute a fix to Google Maps or Apple Maps, does that fix back-propogate to OSM? My home address needs to be slightly shifted and wondering for best practice.

If you contribute to Google Maps then you fix private Google database.

this is not true, you fix it for everyone using Google maps (which is basically everyone)

Re: Should you contribute open data to OpenStreetMap?

#80
I am against any large scale collection of data that can be used to take away an individual's privacy or to assist a government/business/person's ability to track someone's location or residence. Its one thing to not be able to do anything about a private business collecting this information on their own volition, but its another to actually aid in its collection yourself. The more you accept and buy into this reality the faster it will accelerate out of control with opposition being not just those who stand to gain from its existence, but from useful idiots who don't understand sunk cost fallacy. The biggest hindrance in the long term happiness of the human species is the inability to reverse change. Even while we can admit a certain change is bad, we can never mitigate further change let alone put the cat back in the bag.
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