Teachable Moment: Apple Credits OpenStreetMap

Last Thursday the OpenStreetMap (OSM) twitter account posted an image confirming that Apple, which now uses the map data in its iPhoto software, has given the contributors due credit. Back on March 8 many folks involved in mapping and mapping data cheered as Apple showed off the new iPhoto for the new iPad and it included OSM (APB coverage). They then hung their heads low as they realized Apple did so without proper attribution (OSM Foundation Blog).

After the tweet above, news outlets from The Next Web to Spatially Adjusted shared the news that Apple basically did the right thing. The gory details include how both the OSM Foundation and an iOS developer helped Apple make the change (Talking Points Memo coverage). Why is this change such big news? Honestly, it's not big news. It's just that any Apple news is exciting. And, in the mapping arena Apple mapping news, is well, news.

A better question to ask is how to turn this non-news in a teachable moment for geography and GIS students and geography and GIS practitioners. My answer is to use this as a jumping off point to look at spatial data licenses.

First, of course, have a look at what the OpenStreetMap license says. OpenStreetMap is currently distributed under a Creative Commons (CC) License. It's stated in plain English that you can use the map images or map data, so long as you include attribution and if possible a link to the OSM website and the CC license. The OSM license page even includes sample text you can copy! The page also makes clear that if you alter or build on the data you can only release it under the same license. (If you want to be really up to date, prepare yourself because OpenStreetMap is changing to a new license. That said, I'd get familiar with CC first.)

Once you are familiar with the current OSM license consider these questions:

• Are the Creative Commons Licenses new to you?
• Where else have you seen them? If you haven't, find some non-mapping content that is licensed that way.
• Why do you think OSM and other creators chose this license?
• Would you distribute your works (article, music, art, maps, data, etc.) under this type of license? Why or why not?
• Did you know you can use some search engine tools to identify content release under CC licenses (and sometimes other licenses)? See if your favorite search tools allows such a search. (Hint: you might need to look under "advanced" searching.)

Second, explore some other data distribution licenses. What licenses do these data products use? How are they different from Creative Commons? Why did the data creators/providers choose those licenses?

• VMAP0 (formerly Digital Chart of the World, DCW)
• The City of Chicago
• The City of Vancouver 
• Nokia (formerly NAVTEQ)
• TomTom (formerly Tele Atlas)
• DigitalGlobe  
• GeoEye 
• Landsat 

Finally, think about why we have licenses for data and for creative works. Should we? Do the licenses you found for the geodatasets listed above make sense? Serve their intended goals? What should be changed? Anything?

Going One Better on Google's University Mapping Contest

Last week Google announced its latest crowdsourced mapping effort, a contest for teams at U.S. and Canadian colleges to map their schools via Google Map Maker. The contest looks at edits made to Map Maker during the contest time frame, as well as moderation of others' edits. The wining team (up to four people per team) will take home $5000 in prizes each (tablets, t-shirts, stickers, etc.).

It's all good - more students involved in mapping, better data for Google's own maps, etc. Moreover, it's just great Google can fund, promote, and adjudicate such a contest, something for which grassroots efforts may not have the staff or resources.

I've had an idea for some time, one that outdoes Google's efforts on many levels. It hits some of the same goals - student involvement in mapping, better data, etc. It's not even a contest. It's a course. The title, overview and objectives below are just a quick pitch, but I think they get the idea across.

Title: Introduction to Geodata and GIS Using OpenStreetMap


Course Overview: There is no better way to understand the nature of geospatial data than by creating and using them. In this course students will learn and use a variety of tools to enhance OpenStreetMap, a free worldwide map. In doing so, they will begin to understand the complexities of these data and the processes required to collect and maintain them. They'll also explore other open and not so open datasets, data and software licensing, and the idea of geodata being fit for purpose.


Objectives:


At the successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Collect, input, and edit geospatial data for the OpenStreetMap database via a variety of tools
• Identify key issues regarding geospatial data quality, appropriateness of use, and workflows to ensure data integrity
• Evaluate the value of OpenStreetMap and other worldwide datasets, APIs, data collection processes and licenses for use in geospatial solutions  

I imagine courses like this at four year and community colleges, even in high schools, worldwide. Such courses could be both an intro for those who might go on in the field and the one course in geo for those who do not. 

Even as students are learning about the nature of data, they'd be continuing to enhance OpenStreetMap, a map the whole world can use (in contrast to Google-owned Google Maps data created in the contest described above). If a residential school runs the course multiple times per year it might cover campus one semester, town the next, look at one feature type the next, do a neighboring town the next, support an emergency response effort on the other side of the world the next. And, imagine the potential coverage if this course is taught online! There's plenty of geography and thematic layers to go around!