Hello,<br>
<br>
This is my first post to this list, so hello to everyone. My name
is Nick, I am originally from the Isle of Man, but I am living in
London at the moment. I am am involved with the OpenStreetMap
organisation - a project that is trying to create a free, editable map
of the world (<a href="http://www.openstreetmap.org">www.openstreetmap.org</a>). All of the map data that we
collect is distributed under a Creative Commons License, meaning that
third parties are free to use, distribute and modify the data as they
see fit etc etc.<br>
<br>
We have a few members in the Isle of Man (some of whom may be on this
list), who have contributed to mapping quite a bit of the Island (see
<a href="http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/WikiProject_Isle_of_Man">http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/WikiProject_Isle_of_Man</a>) for
details. See the link below for the current state of the Island.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.openstreetmap.org/index.html?lat=54.23&lon=-4.57&zoom=11">http://www.openstreetmap.org/index.html?lat=54.23&lon=-4.57&zoom=11</a><br>
<br>
Within the Isle of Man, there is a real chance that we could map all
the roads and footpaths within a few months, which could have some
major implications for the way that map data is distributed and
licensed on the Island. Hopefully I will be on the Island in late
June, I would be very happy to come and give a presentation or informal
talk to the IoM LUG about Openstreetmap, with the intention of
kickstarting some extended interest in the project on the Island.<br>
<br>
Thanks for your time, I hope I can meet you to share with you what I
think is an amazing project. Feel free to email me personally if
you need any more information about OpenStreetMap, or check out some of
these press links which refer to a recent workshop we held on the Isle
of Wight:<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li> <a href="http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1771598,00.html" class="external" rel="nofollow">http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1771598,00.html</a>
</li><li> <a href="http://digital-lifestyles.info/display_page.asp?section=cm&id=3227" class="external" rel="nofollow">http://digital-lifestyles.info/display_page.asp?section=cm&id=3227</a>
</li>
</ul>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Nick<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>