usa | Mapsys.info (3) Mapsys.info

Microsoft and OpenStreetMap: Magicshop Frontdoor — Improved Address Locations

A few months ago an experimental service to automatically find roads and other features in aerial imagery was launched. Today we’re adding to that a service to help improve local search results.

The frontdoor app allows anyone on the web to help improve our address location results. The site allows you to drag a pin from where we think an address currently is to the front door of the property.

It works on a similar concept to Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Only here the output is freely available OpenStreetMap address data. I’ve been working through Magicshop Frontdoor quite a bit this week so I know this is easy enough. Can’t be that many addresses in the USA, can there? The great thing about helping Microsoft here over lets say Google is that your efforts are helping the community at large. I wish other mapping companies would embrace this concept as Microsoft has.

Just drag that pushpin to the front door and your done.

Google Map Maker USA

Google Map Maker USA Launches

Start adding your local knowledge to the map.

Add businesses and building outlines.
Move place markers to the right locations.
Build a detailed map of your school campus.

(note: Open Street Map does have a service with one major benefit over Google Map Maker – data you create (with many thousands of others) is available to everyone for free even if commercial organization.

Google Maps retains this information only limited places have MapMaker Downloads
http://www.google.com/support/mapmaker/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=156852

but read the terms… first.

8.1
You Must Be a Non-Profit Entity, a Government Agency, or an Individual. You must be a non-profit entity, a government agency, or an individual acting on a not-for-profit basis. For-profit entities and individuals acting on a for-profit basis are not permitted to use the Map Maker Source Data, but may be eligible to use Google’s other geo-related products, such as the Google Maps APIs, according to the terms of service for those products.

8.2 Your Map Project Must Be Non-Commercial and Free of Charge to Users.

(a) Your Map Project must be for non-commercial uses only. You cannot use Your Map Project to either directly or indirectly generate revenue as part of a for-profit enterprise. For example, Your Map Project cannot be hosted on the website of a for-profit company. However, Your Map Project can be hosted on the website of a validly-registered non-profit or governmental entity (as determined by the applicable law of your jurisdiction).

(b) Your Map Project must be free of charge. You may require users to log in to Your Map Project but you cannot require users to pay a fee (unless you have entered into a separate written agreement with Google or obtained Google’s written permission to do so).

8.3 Your Map Project Must Provide Google with Attribution. Unless otherwise agreed to by Google in a written amendment to these Terms, in every instance in which the Map Maker Source Data are used in Your Map Project, Your Map Project must include the following attribution notice in accordance with the requirements below:

Live (real-time) updates of edits to google map maker service – http://www.google.com/mapmaker/pulse

YouTube Video the USA MapMaker

source:
http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2011/04/add-your-local-knowledge-to-map-with.html

Google I/O extends virtually around the world

In celebration of Google I/O 2011, many Google offices around the world, as well as GTUG partners and Student Ambassadors, are hosting free viewing parties of Google I/O sessions. If you can’t attend Google I/O in person, these events are a way to connect with other talented developers and watch live feeds of the conference.

Part viewing party and part community building, Google I/O Extended events are free and worldwide, focused on bringing the developer community together to live-stream the keynote and other major sessions of Google I/O. Each location’s event will be a little different, so check the registration page of the closest location to see what they have planned. With limited space, registration is required. Learn more and find an I/O Extended event near you on the I/O Extended site. These events are being organized by local developer community leaders and university ambassadors, so please reach out to them specifically if you have any questions about the details.

Here are just a few of the locations hosting an I/O Extended event:

Africa