Crowdsourcing and Open Street Maps
I think Open Street Map is going to become a really big thing. Wikipedia-like.
What Wikipedia is to Britannica, Open Street Maps is to Teleatlas (provider for Google Maps). Open Street Maps are end-user created maps. Street or park missing in your new subdivision? Just go and add it yourself - no need to wait for Google to map out your neighbourhood.
From what I’ve seen in the last 18 months, I think it will soon be the best, most current map of anywhere. When I first checked my Toronto address, maybe 18 months ago, the street was mapped, but the street name was incorrect. By about a year ago, my street was properly labelled, but the Ottawa neighbourhood I grew up in was not. Now, not only do I see Ottawa suburbs completely mapped, but I see gravel roads in cottage country properly mapped and labeled. Incredible progress in very little time.
