The OpenStreetMap project is a collaborative effort to provide free
maps that anyone can use or edit. Over the last two years the project
has grown from a one-man effort, to become an international Foundation
dedicated to the provision of Free Geo-Data.. An active community of
over 2,500 members regularly contribute GPS tracks, edits and code, to
what is fast becoming one of the most dynamic publicly accessible
geo-databases in the world.
In May 2006, a group of OSM members met on the Isle Of Wight, with the
aim of mapping as many of the Island's roads and footpaths as possible
in one weekend. The meeting was a huge success; an estimated 90% of
the Island's roads and footpaths have now been mapped, making OSM's
database the most up to date publicly available map of the County.
The first two years of OSM have undoubtedly proved the concept of open
collaborative mapping. The organisation must now mature into a
Foundation that has firm ethical and legal codes as well as an
infrastructure that can support the activities of a rapidly expanding
and diverse international membership. This paper looks at the last 2
years of OSM and explores some of the anticipated challenges that the
organisation faces over the next 12 months. |