Free software, proprietary maps?

Saturday, September 20. 2008, 07:33
If you didn't know it, today is Software Freedom Day.

Just noticed that, when you surf to http://cgi.softwarefreedomday.org/map.shtml to look if there's something happening around you on SFD, you'll get a proprietary google map.

It seems that the organizers of the SFD can't look beyond one's own nose. I often saw this behaviour in parts of the free software movement (being ignorant about proprietary stuff if it's not software), but found this example especially frightening, as we have a well working alternative.

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I, too, am unpleasantly surprised.

Further, the Ubuntu Launchpad folks recently announced integration of Google maps into their online presence [1]. Great feature, but I'm curious to know if they looked into OSM. (My comment there has been in moderation for several hours as I submit this).

[1] http://news.launchpad.net/cool-new-stuff/where-is-everyone-maps-on-profile-pages
#1 Hugh Barnes on 2008-09-20 14:45 (Reply)
SFD and Launchpad are both Canonical projects. Please see https://bugs.launchpad.net/launchpad/+bug/264138 for the LP bug report.
#1.1 Bruce Cowan on 2008-09-20 23:01 (Reply)
Well done, Bruce! You already did the next step I was considering. (Might also be worth raising on the OSM talk list?)

Still no reply to the questions on Launchpad of where OSM/Openlayers falls short in functionality (and why not help it get there, even if only with feedback?). Surely they documented this decision somewhere?

… and my comment to the Launchpad News team is still in moderation! Weekend, I guess.
#1.1.1 Hugh Barnes on 2008-09-21 03:48 (Reply)

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