Sam Vekemans wrote: > Once the Open Database Licence is sorted out at our end. > > http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Open_Database_License > > I think that they will :)
Unfortunately I am not so sure and I would interpret Googles recent activity as making it less likely for them to use OSM anytime soon. With the move to drop TeleAtlas as map provider in the US and switch to use their own map data including a "report a problem" feature, as well as their increased activity with Google Mapmaker in many other countries it seems Google is trying to enter the map data owner business with all their might. Google has thus turned in my opinion from a potential future user of OSM data into a major competitor. Google might even turn into a tougher competitor for OSM than Navteq or TeleAtlas, as they are using some of the same advantages as OSM, crowd sourcing and providing mapping data for free, plus the added advantage of nearly limitless marketing power and resources. I obviously still think that OSM is going to succeed in becoming the most complete map data and has major advantages over google's data which is the free as in freedom aspect of the maps which google doesn't seem to have any intention in following looking at the rather reluctant opening of the mapmaker data. However it will make OSMs life more interesting having to focus even more on the free as in freedom rather than free as in beer aspects to highlight the benefits of OSM over Google to new contributors. So my guess would be that OSM is not going to get much help from Google until it is inevitable that OSM is unstoppable. I think it is much more likely that one of the other mayor players like Yahoo, Microsoft or perhaps even Garmin or Navigon embrace OSM, to fend of Google. So Google's move could even turn out to be an advantage to OSM. On the other hand, google has given a significant contribution towards the new server fund back in April, sponsored SoTM in the past and sponsored OSM projects through GSoC. So who knows what Google is planning. I for sure don't have a clue and just thought I'd share by uninformed 0.02$ ;-) Kai > > Cheers, > Sam > > 2009/11/2 Jonathan Bennett <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > > Bráulio Bezerra da Silva wrote: > > Will it ever happen? > > Yes. > > -- > Jonathan (Jonobennett) > > _______________________________________________ > talk mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk > > _______________________________________________ talk mailing list [email protected] http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
