6683 0 3 econsultancy_xml <p>But the alpha release will allow the OS to say it has complied with the recommendations of the Cabinet Office’s <a href="http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2007/070405_power.aspx">Power of Information Review</a>, which urged it to launch the project by the end of this year.</p> <p>As expected, the API will just be for non-commercial developers – businesses will still need to acquire licences to get their hands on OS mapping data. Or go to an alternative supplier. </p> <p>According to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/dec/13/freeourdata.software">The Guardian</a>, the service will offer maps ranging from the 1:1m outline of Great Britain up to street level (1:10,000). But users won’t need to be experts in GIS software.</p> <p>Former OS chief technology officer Ed Parsons - now geospatial technologist at Google - <a href="/blog/704-interview-online-mapping-guru-ed-parsons">recently told us</a> that he saw OpenSpace becoming a <em>“kindergarten”</em> for developers, allowing the OS to foster the kind of community that has sprung up around Google Maps’ API.</p> <p>Responding to OpenSpace’s availability on <a href="http://www.edparsons.com/?p=598">his blog</a>, Ed says: </p> <blockquote> <p> <em>“One observation is the limit on the number of maps tiles which may be rendered for an API key, this is not something I have seen elsewhere, but I can understand it as a defence against accusations from commercial users of the data of unfairness.</em> </p> <p> <em>“Still is great to see something I put so much effort into during my time at the OS finally reaching the public.”</em> </p> </blockquote> <p> <em> <strong>Update: </strong>The OS says OpenSpace will be launched publicly "early in the New Year". More details <a href="http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/media/news/2007/dec/osopenspace.html">here</a>.</em> </p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/704-interview-online-mapping-guru-ed-parsons">Interview with mapping guru Ed Parsons</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/398-ordnance-survey-opens-up-to-developers">Ordnance Survey opens up to developers</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>But the alpha release will allow the OS to say it has complied with the recommendations of the Cabinet Office’s <Link URL="http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2007/070405_power.aspx" Window="Self">Power of Information Review</Link>, which urged it to launch the project by the end of this year.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>As expected, the API will just be for non-commercial developers – businesses will still need to acquire licences to get their hands on OS mapping data. Or go to an alternative supplier. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>According to <Link URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/dec/13/freeourdata.software" Window="Self">The Guardian</Link>, the service will offer maps ranging from the 1:1m outline of Great Britain up to street level (1:10,000). But users won’t need to be experts in GIS software.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Former OS chief technology officer Ed Parsons - now geospatial technologist at Google - <Link URL="/blog/704-interview-online-mapping-guru-ed-parsons" Window="Self">recently told us</Link> that he saw OpenSpace becoming a <Quote>“kindergarten”</Quote> for developers, allowing the OS to foster the kind of community that has sprung up around Google Maps’ API.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Responding to OpenSpace’s availability on <Link URL="http://www.edparsons.com/?p=598" Window="Self">his blog</Link>, Ed says: </Paragraph> <Block> <Paragraph> <Quote>“One observation is the limit on the number of maps tiles which may be rendered for an API key, this is not something I have seen elsewhere, but I can understand it as a defence against accusations from commercial users of the data of unfairness.</Quote> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Quote>“Still is great to see something I put so much effort into during my time at the OS finally reaching the public.”</Quote> </Paragraph> </Block> <Paragraph> <Quote> <Emphasis>Update: </Emphasis>The OS says OpenSpace will be launched publicly "early in the New Year". More details <Link URL="http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/media/news/2007/dec/osopenspace.html" Window="Self">here</Link>.</Quote> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/704-interview-online-mapping-guru-ed-parsons" Window="Self">Interview with mapping guru Ed Parsons</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/398-ordnance-survey-opens-up-to-developers" Window="Self">Ordnance Survey opens up to developers</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2007-12-13T09:45:00+00:00 0 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>The Ordnance Survey’s long-awaited API has moved a step closer to launch, with the organisation preparing to announce an <a href="http://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/openspace/index.html">alpha release</a> later today.</strong> </p> <p>The 'OpenSpace' platform has been in the pipeline for at least a couple of years and will reportedly now be fully unveiled sometime in 2008. </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>The Ordnance Survey’s long-awaited API has moved a step closer to launch, with the organisation preparing to announce an <Link URL="http://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/openspace/index.html" Window="Self">alpha release</Link> later today.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The 'OpenSpace' platform has been in the pipeline for at least a couple of years and will reportedly now be fully unveiled sometime in 2008. </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 2024 364755 Ordnance Survey API nears launch false 2007-12-13T09:45:00+00:00 ordnance-survey-api-nears-launch 2009-04-28T23:02:48+01:00 2009-04-28T23:02:48+01:00 366