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Google are building various tools which allow users to contribute data (especially to maps). However they don't provide an easy way for users to choose to relea

Google are building various tools which allow users to contribute data (especially to maps). However they don't provide an easy way for users to choose to release their own contributions under an open license. I asked Marissa Mayer this question at SXSW 2011 and she said they would change it, however I haven't seen this happen. I would very much like to see Google change their policy so that by default any user generated contributions are released under a license which permits reuse without further permission from Google. My question is at 28:30 http://audio.sxsw.com/2011/podcasts/GoogleMarrisaMayer.mp3 http://audio.sxsw.com/2011/podcasts/GoogleMarrisaMayer.mp3

aerosuch 15y ago
Julian - just listened to your question from SXSW last year. I was part of another discussion on indoor maps this year: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/events/event_IAP100110 http://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/events/event_IAP100110 One of my fellow panelists from Google discussed ways for developers to use Google's existing map tools to create their own indoor map content. This uses the Google Maps slippy map API, but doesn't require the developer to submit indoor map data to Google: http://www.google.com/events/io/2011/sessions/map-your-business-inside-and-out.html http://www.google.com/events/io/2011/sessions/map-your-busin... I would also like to see indoor map data, especially for public spaces, be more freely (libre) available. There are a few contributors at OpenStreetMap working on indoor maps, but privacy/data structure/data acquisition pose significant challenges. I'm sure they'd be interested in your help!
- aubergene 15y ago
  Thanks, just listening now
- 7952 15y ago
  Just curious, but why exactly do you want indoor mapping? Is finding your way around buildings really that problematic? What exactly is the point?
  - thezilch 15y ago
    Google's Project Glass [0], which depicts a user entering a book store and wanting to locate the "Music section." [1] [0] https://plus.google.com/u/0/111626127367496192147/posts https://plus.google.com/u/0/111626127367496192147/posts [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&feature=youtu.be&hd=1&t=61s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&feature=youtu...
  - vellum 15y ago
    It's for large buildings like airports or malls. You save a few minutes by not having to find a map kiosk. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-frontier-for-google-maps-mapping.html http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-frontier-for-goog...
  - aerosuch 15y ago
    Yes, we can live without indoor maps, but we're suffering through a lot of inefficiencies just because we don't know yet that there's a better option. I want indoor maps because they can help reduce healthcare costs. It costs us all money when people get lost in hospitals. While environmental signage helps, it's often not sufficient. Visitors end up interrupting doctors and nurses to ask for directions. This directly costs the hospital money (leads to higher personnel costs), and leads to a poor customer experience (affects the recovery process for patients and families). It is surprising how many people get lost in hospitals: http://twitter.com/lostinabuilding http://twitter.com/lostinabuilding In addition to navigation, there are uses for facilities management, inventory management, real estate sales, and analytics on how people use buildings. I'm a big fan of using data to improve human efficiency, and these can help save time/energy/money. For retail environments, indoor maps present targeted advertising opportunities, which can lead to more efficient advertising spending for brands and retailers, and time savings for consumers. This is part of why Google is so interested in indoor maps.
    - batista 15y ago
      >I want indoor maps because they can help reduce healthcare costs. It costs us all money when people get lost in hospitals. Really? Like how much money? Seems like it needs a huge "citation needed" sign.

aerosuch 15y ago

Julian - just listened to your question from SXSW last year. I was part of another discussion on indoor maps this year: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/events/event_IAP100110 http://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/events/event_IAP100110 One of my fellow panelists from Google discussed ways for developers to use Google's existing map tools to create their own indoor map content. This uses the Google Maps slippy map API, but doesn't require the developer to submit indoor map data to Google: http://www.google.com/events/io/2011/sessions/map-your-business-inside-and-out.html http://www.google.com/events/io/2011/sessions/map-your-busin... I would also like to see indoor map data, especially for public spaces, be more freely (libre) available. There are a few contributors at OpenStreetMap working on indoor maps, but privacy/data structure/data acquisition pose significant challenges. I'm sure they'd be interested in your help!

aubergene 15y ago
Thanks, just listening now
7952 15y ago
Just curious, but why exactly do you want indoor mapping? Is finding your way around buildings really that problematic? What exactly is the point?
- thezilch 15y ago
  Google's Project Glass [0], which depicts a user entering a book store and wanting to locate the "Music section." [1] [0] https://plus.google.com/u/0/111626127367496192147/posts https://plus.google.com/u/0/111626127367496192147/posts [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&feature=youtu.be&hd=1&t=61s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&feature=youtu...
- vellum 15y ago
  It's for large buildings like airports or malls. You save a few minutes by not having to find a map kiosk. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-frontier-for-google-maps-mapping.html http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-frontier-for-goog...
- aerosuch 15y ago
  Yes, we can live without indoor maps, but we're suffering through a lot of inefficiencies just because we don't know yet that there's a better option. I want indoor maps because they can help reduce healthcare costs. It costs us all money when people get lost in hospitals. While environmental signage helps, it's often not sufficient. Visitors end up interrupting doctors and nurses to ask for directions. This directly costs the hospital money (leads to higher personnel costs), and leads to a poor customer experience (affects the recovery process for patients and families). It is surprising how many people get lost in hospitals: http://twitter.com/lostinabuilding http://twitter.com/lostinabuilding In addition to navigation, there are uses for facilities management, inventory management, real estate sales, and analytics on how people use buildings. I'm a big fan of using data to improve human efficiency, and these can help save time/energy/money. For retail environments, indoor maps present targeted advertising opportunities, which can lead to more efficient advertising spending for brands and retailers, and time savings for consumers. This is part of why Google is so interested in indoor maps.
  - batista 15y ago
    >I want indoor maps because they can help reduce healthcare costs. It costs us all money when people get lost in hospitals. Really? Like how much money? Seems like it needs a huge "citation needed" sign.