back to article Ordnance Survey consultation reaches end of line

Public consultation on the future of some Ordnance Survey mapping data ends today, and a government spokeswoman told The Register that it will respond within the next few weeks. The government reiterated late last year that it wanted to make certain OS products “freely available” to UK citizens. However, that declaration …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Surely....

    ...someone with the saturation of a loyalty card, such a Tesco's (or a large insurance company) could make their own Postcode databse and flog it.

    Lets face it they proberbly hhave 95% of the postcodes recorded anyway, without RM's "help"

    1. Tom Chiverton 1

      Right....

      Right... and they'll have got the latitude and longitude for those postcodes from where ?

  2. Daniel 1

    Royal Mail needs to be careful

    Their PAF is treated like its the crown jewels, but they could end up holding onto a non-product by very dint of the way they hang onto it. We are entering a world where just about any device bigger than a wrist watch can be GPS-enabled. How valuable would their arcane list of post codes be then - even (and some might suggest *especially*) to rival postal services? In ten years time, we could be writing the coordinates of our addressee, on our deliveries, and it would be just as useful.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    OS Digital Data

    OS has lots of services besides its standard maps, but if they cant get even standard products right what hope is there?

    OS has a serious problem with its digital data pricing, I can buy an OS map on paper for £7 but to buy the same map for a digital device would cost me £60 its ludicrus! OS say its digital data is more versatile, however I'm sure a paper map is more reliable, can be used for longer and can easily be anotated,, and are reasonalbly water proof (esp laminated versions). Whilst a digital device may be able to orientate itself and provide satallite Location Data this ability is not provided by OS. OS also say that Digital Lasts Longer. again I have paper maps that are 15 years old, my dad has some 30+ years old. I do not own any digital devices that are that old, and If I did would I be using them as daily reliable devices or would they be relics?

    So my question is why do you buy a new map? for me its because occasionally new roads are built and footpaths are moved, and trails are tcreated, and I pay £7, if I were a digital user that would be £60. what is the justification?

    the procduction cost of a paper map verses a flash card? don't make me laugh! the flash card is the cheaper of the two, is easiest to transport, takes up less room in a shop, infact could even be programmed at point of sale with any map, so no stock required!!

    the sooner they realise that People Dont want 'Digital Premium' They want 'Digital Norm' the better.

    As for Royal Mail they can go F**k themselves.. the sooner they are broken up the better. postcodes should be free to all especially since they are an aid to the mail service.

    Our local sorting office witholds un-postcoded items for 4 weeks (once 9 weeks), it has happened numerous times and every complaint is met with a 'its just a one off'.

    RM is becoming a burdon not a service.

    1. Bassey

      Re: OS Digital Data

      Whilst I don't like/agree with the price difference, there is a bit more to it than you are making out. With the digital "License" you buy the right to print your own maps. THAT is why (they say) it is so expensive. Get some waterproof "Toughprint" paper and it is usually a lot better than most purchased maps. You can print them with routes, waymarks etc already on them.

      Besides, £60 might have been true a while ago. I recently purchased 1:25K maps for most of Snowdonia in digital format and it only cost about £20. Whilst I'd rather it was free - I don't actually think that is too bad now that I can print them off as often as I need, use them on my mobile GPS device, plot routes etc. And I'm fairly confident the Welsh mountains won't be changing too much over the next year or two :)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Pirate

      Heheh

      I downloaded the entire OS 50K map off StreetMap.com using a script. Which bits did you want? :)

      Oh, and @ El Reg, what does the Post Office postcode database *remotely* have to do with the Ordnance Survey releasing some of *their* data? Talk about an axe to grind.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Heheh

        Funny, I did the exact same, except from Multimap.com. They're now gathering dust in a HD somewhere. Still bought the maps from Memory Map though as I couldn't be arsed to write an app that did route planning etc. Also I like the 3d view it generates.

  4. James Boag
    Grenade

    If the Post code Belong to them

    Don't use em, see how they like these onions !

    worked for me an M$ / Apple

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Now you tell me

    The consultation process ends today. If you'd written this article earlier, I would have read it earlier, and been able to take part in said consultation.

    Let us not forget that Ordnance Survey was a state owned body, paid for by the taxpayer, until it got privatised relatively recently. All the data they hold was paid for by you & me, so why they have the audacity to charge for it now I don't know.

    1. Kelly Fiveash (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: Now you tell me

      I think we've done a good job of keeping our readers in the loop on this issue, actually.

      http://search.theregister.co.uk/?q=ordnance+survey

  6. Andy Livingstone

    Now you tell me - so what's mine is mine.

    Dessert Storm.....

    Dear Nat West,

    You were paid for with my money. I'll be in tomorrow. Have £10,000 ready for 10 am. No, you cannot charge me for it as it is only a refund of my own money. By the way, do you know where the nearest Northern Rock branch is, please?

    Andy.

  7. MOJ Employee

    @17th March 2010 10:23 GMT

    Where on earth are you buying your maps? I pay £30 for an Explorer (1:25000) or 25 for a Land Ranger (1:50000). www.tracklogs.co.uk.

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