[Wikipedia-l] Open Mapping

[Ray Saintonge]

Magnus Manske wrote:

> Daniel Mayer wrote:
>
>> PS - the whole idea of copyrights on spatial data seem to be absurd 
>> to me; how
>> could anybody claim to *own* any exact digital reproduction of the 
>> street
>> network for Paris or the exact location and shape of the Zaire River? 
>> And yet
>> this type of thing is *very* common in the GIS world (but I also 
>> think it is
>> absurd for people to copyright *natural* DNA sequences and patent their
>> *natural* products ; I guess I'm weird that way). Argh! 
>
> While I basically agree with both notions, I can see that someone 
> investing money in getting to Zaire and taking precise measurements, 
> or in sequencing some DNA and determining what it does (broadly 
> speaking), should get something in return. If the question is no 
> information vs. information to pay for, the latter is preferable, 
> IMHO. But, patents are likely the wrong way, and Wikipedians traveling 
> to Zaire and taking down coordinates would certainly be best :-)

It seems to me that before we get people into the Zaire jungles taking 
measurements we should probably take full advantage of available aerial 
photographs. :-)

Ec