Re: MI Canadian Data (needs to be free)

[Cliff Mugnier - University of New Orleans]

Reading your comments about the comparisons between your country and the U.S.
"public" mapping data may not be a fair comparison.

In Central and South America, there is virtually zero middle-class in their
societies.  There is no income tax to support the government, and as a result
the military services have established "monopolies" on mapping services and
mapping data.

"La Ley," (The Law) exists in practically every country in Latin America, and
the mapping services and data are sold at a profit to support the "more
military" parts of the military than the mapping arm.  The only major financial
income most of these military forces have to support the national defense is the
mapping activities.  They can not give the stuff away, because the public did
not pay for the maps and data.  The public does not pay (directly) for the
military through taxes.  If you're going to defend your country, you have to pay
for the Army some kind of way!  This is how it is implemented.

This arrangement is a function of individual national societies, and the way the
U.S. government operates may not be a valid corollary for your country.

I wrote about this in my monthly column in "Photogrammetric Engineering and
Remote Sensing" for the  May, 1999 issue on pages 549-550. (Grids and Datums
column.)  In fact, I sent an advance copy to the Army in Ecuador, and they
agreed with my comments and did not dissent.   Hell, they liked it!

That's my two cents' worth.

Cliff

-- 
Clifford J. Mugnier ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
The Topographic Engineering Laboratory
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans, Louisiana  70148

Voice and Facsimile: (504) 280-7095
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[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> 
> Thanks Matt!  I wish I could vote more than once.  It's about time that our
> government allowed free access that we have so richly paid for!  Now all we
> have to do is get the CRTC to force the telco's to release their info too!
> 
> Laura Piazza
> RSLCOM Canada Inc.
> 
> "Matt.Wilkie" wrote:
> 
> > Free Canadian Data: as in needs-to-be-liberated.
> >
> > http://members.home.net/freedata/  is an organization which is trying
> > get government-produced digital data available at or near distribution
> > costs.
> >
> > I for one applaud the effort, many's the time I've looked enviously across
> > the border at the data-smorgasbord available to our american cousins.
> >
> > The one thing which does concern me about this petition is the focus on
> > free (as in $), with not much attention directed to freedom (as in to use)
> > to copy, manipulate, create value added products, etc.
> >
> > cheers,
> >
> > -matt
> >
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