Friday, August 22. 2008

OpenStreetMap in Shapefiles

I don't speak German to get the scoop from the data provider (readme is here), but I believe you can download shapefile versions of much of the European OpenStreetMap data from GEOFABRIK. It carries the same CC Share Alike License.

via Geospatial Reddit

Another Geo Startup Funded in Mississippi

Spatial Information Solutions Inc. (SIS) is based in Starkville, Mississippi; it received the first New Venture Development investment, $100,000 from the Mississippi Seed Fund. Recipients must have a cash match from accredited investors to obtain funding.

The company is working on commercializing "map accuracy enhancement software technologies.” Note that this is not from the looks of it a Web 2.0 nor negeo company. Still, I think the company needs a website; I could not find one.

- Starkville Daily News

Update: AOL Sues NavQuest Over Similarity to MapQuest

Apparently at some point NavQuest gave up and changed its name to ClicktoBoat.com. If nothing else, it confirms the company serves the boating community.

- press release

---- original post 4/8/08 ----

AOL is suing the Boca Raton-based NavQuest that offer boaters tools to plot a course. Says AOL: the site is "confusingly similar" in name and function. NavQuest launched in Feb 2007. Per the Palm Beach Post, here's what it offers:

Boaters enter their starting and ending points. The marine navigation tool calculates trip time, distance and fuel consumption, and downloads the needed charts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The site also offers weather, tide and marina information.

NavQuest's founder Ken Litvack tried to trademark NavQuest in 2006; AOL opposed the application. But clearly, AOL is no longer waiting around for the trademark folks to finish the processing.

Update: Photosynth Open to All

Update: Apparently there was so much demand the site was down much of the morning and afternoon. It was back to partial operation late in the afternoon on Thursday. Bottom line: lots of interest.

- Seattle PI Blog

--- original post 8/20 ----

Microsoft's Web service for stitching photos together to make 3D scenes is now available to anyone. Just upload the images and "synth" them. Users are granted 20 GB of space (more if your synths are "cool"). The Photosynth site offers the chance to learn about the technology, view synths and create your own.

- C|net

Sci Tech University Builds GIS Software Intro for Civil Engineers

The National Science Foundation is giving the Missouri University of Science and Technology a $500,000 grant "to make Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software available to students in laboratory environments."

Part of the grant has faculty members "designing a comprehensive learning system to introduce civil engineering students to the software."

The news story from the school include the obligatory Google Earth quote:

“It’s like Google Earth only you can customize and analyze spatial data,” says Dr. Ronaldo Luna, associate professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Missouri S&T.