Re: Selling *our* data back to us

In article <[email hidden]>, Rudy
Lacchin <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Dave P" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well argued piece about the stupidity of the govt selling OS maps and
the like back to us (when we've paid to have them produced):

The corollary being, presumably, that all OS maps should be free to whoever
wants them and everyone else's taxes should be increased to cover the costs
incurred?

I think the argument is more that

(a) people won't have to pay as much to their local authority
because the local authority won't be paying high fees to the OS
for their mapping needs.

(b) there will be more businesses using OS data which will be
more efficient, sell more goods / services (VAT) and make more
profit which is then taxed.

Therefore the people and the government might actually both be better
off than in the current situation.

From a business perspective I looked at licensing the OS data like
MemoryMap, Anquet and Tracklogs do several years ago. The money involved
and the licensing requirements stopped my plans dead in their tracks.
Who benefits from a lack of innovation and competition in the mapping /
GIS sector?

--

Dominic Sexton