Europe

[lv]

Is there anyway to download maps for Europe - or at least get a better idea of where the hotspots are in Europe when using the Web Maps?

[bobzilla]

This question is sorta answered here:

http://wigle.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=237

Basically, we have no source of mapping data except for the high-level VMAP data we get for the world from the U.S. Military, and the high-resolution low-level TIGER data we have for the U.S only from the Census Bureau.

If you can find a low-cost resource of high-definition mapping data for europe, or anywhere non-u.s., we'd love to get our hands on it!

[CanuckHere]

Is any of the data available at

http://geogratis.cgdi.gc.ca/clf/en

of use for Canadian data?

[JF1980]

Umm, GPS drive gets it's UK maps from somewhere, can't you get them from the same place?

[uhtu]

the trick isn't getting them, its distributing them.

we can't distribute things we don't have copyright for, or license to
(or, that are in the public domain)

[JF1980]

Well they are an opensource project, they will have had the same issues so maybe the developers should look at GPSdrive and how they overcame this issue?

Google maps is another option.

[uhtu]

its not a question of opensourceness. its a question of dependencies.

and one's opensource (software libre, free as in beer/speech, whatever) status really dosen't mean anything with respect to one's use of other people's cartographic property.

if you want to modify our opensource client (JiGLE) to do what gpsdrive does, we'll happily review it and add it in - if we can do it without cripling our software, or infringing on the usage licenses of the map provider. we prefer to dodge the whole issue, by doing our own maps.

not to be disingenuous, but the best way to get this working for everyone is to find a source of public domain map data (rather than map images)... so petition your local MP to open up some .uk map data, and we'll add it to wigle!

[Dutch]

Well they are an opensource project, they will have had the same issues so maybe the developers should look at GPSdrive and how they overcame this issue?

Google maps is another option.

And if you read the Gpsdrive documentation and the gpsdrive mailing list, you'd see that they know that by clicking the Download Map button in gpsdrive, or using the included perl-script to download maps for an area, they are violating the acceptable usage policy of the mapserver.
They clearly state that in the documentation, that it is up to you as a user, to do so. Thats why there isn't any maps distributed with the gpsdrive program.

As for getting opensourced mapdata for the UK, that isn't likely to happen real soon. One of the gpsdrive developers have already approached the Ordnance Survey office regarding that issue, and as the office is not funded by public taxing,even though it is a governmental institution, but by the income made from selling the data and maps made from the data, it ain't going to be distributable for free.

Dutch

[JF1980]

Why not take the same approach, click download at your own risk. Guess this project is really for Americans.

[Dutch]

Why not take the same approach, click download at your own risk. Guess this project is really for Americans.

Because the Wigle founding fathers have another approach to things such as moral and ethics than the Gpsdrive author. All the information needed to make a mappack from whatever mapsource you want to use is available. They just don't want to do it for you, and run the risk of being sued, just so you can be lazy. The source code for the java based Jigle client is freely available. Go ahead and adapt it to include the features you want. Thats why the source code is provided.

And no, wigle/digle/jigle isn't just for americans, which can be seen on the webmaps link.Just select Europe in the region field.
If you are to lazy/brain-challenged/whatever to edit an ascii file, and put a couple of bitmap files in the same folder, in order to make a mappack for your local area of interest, then yes, Wigle/Digle/Jigle isn't for you.

I made several mappacks for my country and areas of interest, and even wrote and posted a tutorial for a fellow in the UK, covering his local area. Making a mappack ain't exactly brain science nor rocket surgery...

But ok, I see the problem from the Wigle Founding fathers side : Provide a free service, and a good one to boot.. And ofcourse there will be whiners bitching that they have to use their brain in order to adapt it to their specific needs...

Dutch

[uhtu]

wigle is very much a project for everyone (well, a wierd, wardriving subset of everyone ;-), and we work fairly hard (for lazy people) to ensure that we are usable from as many places/platforms/etc. as possible.

sadly, the us government is the only one we're aware of that provides free map data (perhaps we're wrong, enlighten us!).

i'll type myself hoarse here: if you can find an unencumbered source of detailed cartographic data (for the uk or anywhere else) we will put it up; we like making maps.