Comments on: Do we need a national mapping agency? http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/ Travels in a digital world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:03:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: admin http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-590 admin Wed, 02 May 2007 11:44:59 +0000 http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/#comment-590 Charles, Thanks for stopping by. I had stopped contributing to the debate when it became obvious that our viewpoints were so different. (Goes off to read the arguments...) Firstly, I don't think it's possible to change the viewpoint that if they don't need or want something then they shouldn't have to pay for it. As I've said before, I find this incredibly short-sighted and naive, but also intractable, or so it seems! Secondly, I am assuming, possibly wrongly, that as OSM gains momentum, that it will need to evolve into something more monolithic and standards based rather than collapse into chaos. Fingers crossed... Charles,

Thanks for stopping by. I had stopped contributing to the debate when it became obvious that our viewpoints were so different.

(Goes off to read the arguments…)

Firstly, I don’t think it’s possible to change the viewpoint that if they don’t need or want something then they shouldn’t have to pay for it. As I’ve said before, I find this incredibly short-sighted and naive, but also intractable, or so it seems!

Secondly, I am assuming, possibly wrongly, that as OSM gains momentum, that it will need to evolve into something more monolithic and standards based rather than collapse into chaos. Fingers crossed…

]]> By: Charles http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-567 Charles Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:23:25 +0000 http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/#comment-567 You should follow the debate that then ensued on the second OSM post on this (http://www.opengeodata.org/?p=184). I'd agree that we need a national mapping agency. The question does in fact become one of what OSM can do that will remain valid, and how you manage such a project. You should follow the debate that then ensued on the second OSM post on this (http://www.opengeodata.org/?p=184).

I’d agree that we need a national mapping agency. The question does in fact become one of what OSM can do that will remain valid, and how you manage such a project.

]]> By: yourbusinessaccountingonline.info » Essentials Of Statistics For Business And Economics … http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-516 yourbusinessaccountingonline.info » Essentials Of Statistics For Business And Economics … Sun, 22 Apr 2007 23:07:12 +0000 http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/#comment-516 [...] pragmatic mapper post brought some interesting responses so I thought I’d outline it a bit [...] [...] pragmatic mapper post brought some interesting responses so I thought I’d outline it a bit [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-435 admin Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:47:46 +0000 http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/#comment-435 I totally agree. Openstreetmaps is fun, no doubt, and we're hoping to start doing some for our home city of Lancaster pretty soon. That's part of the problem though: most people, unless they are very committed, are going to map the things that are interesting to them rather than faithfully mapping every feature. I also agree with your comments about the data modelling- and that's another reason why it's short-sighted to assume that openstreetmap could supplant the OS. It's an attitude that is unfortunately prevalent in archaeology too- that "our data model is better than your's", or even better "this week's model is better than last week's". If people don't want to use a standard model, then they shouldn't assume that what they do will have the validity that they claim. I totally agree. Openstreetmaps is fun, no doubt, and we’re hoping to start doing some for our home city of Lancaster pretty soon. That’s part of the problem though: most people, unless they are very committed, are going to map the things that are interesting to them rather than faithfully mapping every feature.

I also agree with your comments about the data modelling- and that’s another reason why it’s short-sighted to assume that openstreetmap could supplant the OS. It’s an attitude that is unfortunately prevalent in archaeology too- that “our data model is better than your’s”, or even better “this week’s model is better than last week’s”.

If people don’t want to use a standard model, then they shouldn’t assume that what they do will have the validity that they claim.

]]> By: OSM Mapper http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-426 OSM Mapper Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:08:41 +0000 http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/#comment-426 The method of survey (moving around with a GPS) is fine for streetmap surveying, but mapping certain features (eg. land boundaries, private land) - things which are otherwise impractical to survey without traditional methods, means the scope of the map will be limited for use in things such as archaology. A lot of work would have to be done to get the kind of detail kept by the OS. Although still sceptical of the worth of the project, I can't help the enjoyment of contributing my own mapping data and watching it grow. The potential uses for things such as navigation rely on our data. However, I am starting to tire of the Wired-magazine-esque infalibility of it all when basic things like data modelling are being not only developed from scratch, but done by unguided committee whose only experience is this project. The method of survey (moving around with a GPS) is fine for streetmap surveying, but mapping certain features (eg. land boundaries, private land) – things which are otherwise impractical to survey without traditional methods, means the scope of the map will be limited for use in things such as archaology. A lot of work would have to be done to get the kind of detail kept by the OS.

Although still sceptical of the worth of the project, I can’t help the enjoyment of contributing my own mapping data and watching it grow. The potential uses for things such as navigation rely on our data. However, I am starting to tire of the Wired-magazine-esque infalibility of it all when basic things like data modelling are being not only developed from scratch, but done by unguided committee whose only experience is this project.

]]> By: OpenGeoData » Blog Archive » The Pragmatic Mapper (part deaux) http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-425 OpenGeoData » Blog Archive » The Pragmatic Mapper (part deaux) Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:55:24 +0000 http://www.archaeogeek.com/blog/2007/03/27/do-we-need-a-national-mapping-agency/#comment-425 [...] My pragmatic mapper post brought some interesting responses so I thought I’d outline it a bit more. [...] [...] My pragmatic mapper post brought some interesting responses so I thought I’d outline it a bit more. [...]

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