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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Subject: | RE: GISList: GIS Data Depot download limits |
| Date: |
06/10/2002 07:58:40 AM |
| From: |
Anthony Quartararo |
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Robert & Chris,
This issue was beaten to death when the deal was inked with USGS/Geocomm
some time ago. GeoComm took a lot of flak from many people, including me,
right or wrong. But to justify GeoComm changing it's provisioning of the
data (a la pricing structure) after the fact is a slippery slope. What's
next, only 4k at a time unless you pay for better speed?
This will continue to be a thorny issue for the USGS, because as impossible
as it may seem, GeoComm may not be around forever, especially if revenues
are dependent on ads as you make clear. What is the Survey going to do to
provide this data, yet again, to the public if that were to happen ? Sure,
it took more ongoing tax money each year to support the data provisioning
and other great services that the USGS provide(ed)(es), but it was
consistent and not co-dependent on market fluctuations and the whims of
marketing budgets.
It might make more sense for GeoComm to either be in the data provisioning
or news-zine business, but not both in my opinion. The true value of
something is what people are willing to pay for it. If no one decides to
pay for "better" access, frustration will reach epic proportions and lots of
Congressional delegates are going to be hearing from a lot of constituents,
meanwhile where will GeoComm get it's revenue or even recover their costs
for provision then ?
I have a problem paying for data to the extent that it may be subsidizing
problems endemic to GeoComm's business model, management style, strategy,
etc. Paying for access to data is fine, that is essentially what the USGS
did, even if that "price" was some miniscule fraction of a percent in your
tax dollar, it's still there. The folks that benefit from the data still
end up being the domestic and even international population, and it's not
reasonable to send everyone an invoice for $.00000004 for their relevant
value derived from some firm posting a map of earthquake hazard areas in the
Cascades for example. Frankly, if GeoComm's revenues are in need of the
extra $ that this may bring in, we all may have more to be worried about
than a 5Mb limit.
Anthony
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Heitzman [mailto:rheitzman@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 1:31 PM
To: CWeaver@icfconsulting.com: gislist@geocomm.com
Subject: Re: GISList: GIS Data Depot download limits
Well, since it is doubtful Glenn is getting any of the money you are paying
in taxes...
The service the Data Depot provides obviously costs something to maintain,
and internet advertising is pretty much a bust for low traffic sites, so
somebody hass got to pay for the deport to stick around. Why not the folks
that benefit from the data?
>
>I just tried to download a DOQ on GIS Data Depot and received the
>following message:
>
>"Due to increased demand, and in an effort to provide reasonable and
>affordable data downloads to GeoCommunity visitors, all downloadable
>data over 5MB (Megabytes) in size as well as certain datasets (including
>US DOQQs and DRGs) are now only available under our Premium Data
>Download"
>
>Given that I thought the two tiered nature of the site was working fine
>(slower connections vs. premium), and this current protocol seems rather
>dubious in nature.... I do feel shortchanged and actually rather miffed
>(to put it mildly)
>
>I've defended GIS Data Depot in the past, but now I'm just rather
>irritated.
>Glenn - Fess up! ... What's the deal?
>
>
>Chris "Tired of paying for data I've already paid for with my taxes"
>Weaver
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