[geo-discuss] speculation about the OS future business model?

Thu Nov 2 02:14:56 UTC 2006

dear all, 

Excuse me if you've seen this but in the light of recent speculation
about the impact of the withdrawal of NIMSA funding on the Ordnance
Survey's future business model / proprietary stance i find this
writeup of Giles Lane's for an IPPR case study illuminating. 
http://urbantapestries.net/weblog/archives/000181.html

His modest proposal is to split the OS in two; one maintains a central
"National Geographic Database" with access at no more than the cost of
reproduction; the other is "product development" and commercial R'n'D. 

I would argue that the latter is going to be hard to sustain a
monopoly on in an open market. The former half is enticing but what
with the cost of online reproduction tending to zero, we would be
talking about a massive cultural shift. Still it is good to dream...

cheers,

jo 