For example, where does a company like MapQuest’s maps originate? Somewhere along the line I’m guessing there’s some guy walking around with surveying instruments involved, but I also doubt that everyone who makes a reasonably accurate roadmap commissions a survey. So how is this information distributed?
My reason for asking is that I’m considering dusting off the old keyboard and doing some programming. A primary part of the project I’m planning is having a city road map in digital format. I’d rather not draw my own, nor use a map without permission (although this being a program for personal use I’m sure I wouldn’t get hastled about it), nor pay a hefty sum to use one. So how do I get a map?
Also, what copyright/whatever laws apply to maps? Were I to draw my own crude map I’d no doubt end up using another map as a source - at what point does my copying start infringing on the original mapowner’s copyright?
Here in the UK there has just been a legal case where the Ordinance Survey ,which produces most British maps , sued and won their case after a motoring organization was accused of copying the OS maps. The reason the OS knew that their maps had been copied was that they had deliberatly put in some errors on the maps which were faithfully copied by the motoring organization. The case of breach of copyright was upheld in court.
FYI, maps that are created by the federal government do not carry a copyright. Duplicate them )and and the information therein) to your heart’s content.
State and local governments may be a different story.
These days the nature of what a map ‘is’ is changing. With the computer age, most maps are simply a set of data, geocoded for features. The best data sources(ie. Navtech which Mapquest uses) are from companies who send teams of people out with GPSs and surverying equipment. All the numbers are sent out as the data package, with the end user either also buying or developing their own map viewer or GIS. The upshot of this is that the rawdata is most certainly copywrighted. But since there are a infinite number of ways to view the with different detail levels and zooms, it would be impossible for the company to determine what came from theirs or not. It is still illegal to copy the maps for your use, just nearly undetectable.
However, the government census bureau does also have it’s own geocoder data.
It is not quite as good as the specialized companies, but will likely suffice for most any map you want. They are updating the format with all of the new stuff from the 2000 census, but if the geography is all you want, then it should be fine as it is. You can get either the raw data(TIGER format), and create your own viewer, or simply get a map off the site using their simple viewer. (I couldn’t tell exactly what form you were wanting from the OP).
Everything on that site should be public domain, but it wouldn’t hurt to double check around the site for legal information to make sure I’m not having a brain fart
Not to mention us foreigners. Maps by Canada’s Department of National Resources, and Ordnance Survey maps in England, are copyright by Her Majesty. So be careful.
I work in the Aerial Photo Lab of Tennessee’s state dept. of Transportation. Most mapping is still done by Aerial Photography.
GPS is mostly used to locate exact positions for non-mapping surveying jobs, like blueprinting & planning a freeway exit ramp. Laser Surveying Transits are also used in this task.
Satellite mappimg is used for large scale stuff, or by the military. The satellites available to the civilian world don’t show enough detail for most things & it’s also mucho expensive), & military quality imaging is unavailable for civvy applications.
Photo mapping creates non-digital images. These are harder to fake, or at least easier to detect faking in. If this doesn’t seem important to you, think real estate dispute. Many’s the time I have recieved priority orders for aerial photos with a judge’s court order attached & a ASAP coding on it.
Finally, the use of optical/mechanical or computer drafting devices can create true 3-D images for contour mapping, straight from the photos. Much faster than the GPS notion. And remember, the GPS is only as accurate as the mug that’s holding the box. If it rains, or snows or he’s just dumb, a lot of error can creep in. If a mistake is made in shooting Aerial Photos, it is immediately apparent, & a new shoot is scheduled ASAP.
Until there are a lot more satellites than there are today, the aerial photo is here to stay. And since that would mean a bigger commitment to spaceflight, that would be fine with this old Heinlein fan.
