Ordnance Survey fights to retain restrictive use of mapping data

OSGB won't get much sympathy from the public on this one.

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1830466,00.html

A Europe-wide project to harmonise access to geographical data is at risk due to
Britain's support for state-owned agencies

Britain is threatening to kill at birth a project to simplify access to data
crucial to the protection of Europe's land, air and water - unless it is
modified to protect the interests of state-owned mapping agencies.

In fairness, I suspect it's not OSGB's fault. It seems that everything in
the UK these days - schools, hospitals you name it, is expected to be run as
a business and the profit/loss account has to take priority over providing a
public service.

I'd be prepared to pay more taxes to see UK map data freely available to
all, an end to the BBC advertising itself continuously between programmes
(and those dreadful DOGs on digital channels), school meals that don't use
the cheapest available ingredients without regard to quality etc. etc. But
I'm just a grumpy old man and probably in the minority. Also it would
probably take even more extra tax than I would be willing to pay to fix
everything that's wrong in rip off Britain.

Meanwhile we have a national mapping agency which is forced to be
commercially aggressive in the sale of its products in order to meet the, no
doubt stringent, financial constraints placed upon it.

Keith

Keith Sheppard wrote:

I think the OSGB and UKHO are going to fight this one tooth and nail. What
will we be able to do with all those "retired" naval officers, civil
servants and suchlike who have, and currently are, making a nice living in
these cosy little enclaves if the data is made available to the public?

The whole thing makes a complete mockery of the EEC, The Commision, it
seems, has about as much clout as a wet dishcloth. Time to disband the whole
bloody mess, or for the UK to get the hell out of the shambles.

Dennis.

Dennis Pogson wrote:

It seems that there is a similar problem with tidal data and the UK
Hydrographic Office -
Jtides (see http://www.arachnoid.com/JTides/index.html ) is an excellent
free tidal prediction program, but it seems that the developer had to
remove the predictions for most UK ports after pressure from the UKHO.

It infuriates me that the tidal harmonic constants for the UK are being
witheld; Haven't we have already paid (by taxes) for this data to be
acquired? Presumably the income from this nice little earner pays for
fancy cars for the practitioners rather than reducing our taxes.

        Some things in the US are equally bad. I once had an
acquaintance who was involved in testing for US government purchases.
He was specifically involved in adhesives testing. I asked him about
the best glue to use for an application in mind. He said he coudn't
tell me as it would constitute interference with private enterprise.