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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Subject: | RE: GISList: Cost of GIS Data |
| Date: |
11/18/2002 03:08:22 PM |
| From: |
Robert Heitzman |
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>
> >> I've found in my dealings with beurocrats and their GIS data,
> >> they are really hesitant to give it to anyone in the private sector.
> >> I hazard to guess it's becasue they don't want anyone to find their
> >> mistakes and try to hold them accountable.
>
>No, the reason for not GIVING it to private sector for free is because
>many of them will turn around and try to resell it at a profit.
Very anti-capitalist of you. Is there some kind of unpardonable sin in
offering public domain data for sale? If so most GIS data vendors are going
to some very uncomfortable place in the afterlife. Certainly packaging,
convenience, and enhanced data are all saleable items. What business is it
of yours that this event takes place? Perhaps greed is not limited to
capitalists?
>When our GIS data contains outdated or missing information it is almost
>always because no one has provided any funding for that update work to
>happen. In our state, the legislature mandates that our agency maintain
>the Corporate GIS Database, yet they conveniently keep forgetting to
>allocate us ANY operating budget money whatsoever.
>
>Try having to operate like a private business while still being hamstrung
>by all the various government rules, like NOT being able to actually
>compete with the private sector on RFP's. It's extremely hard
>just to make ends meet, let alone keep 100+ data layers current
>at all times AND give them away for free to the private sector.
In the private sector this is called the cost of doing business. Unfunded
mandates and burdensome government rules are a way of life for those under
jurisdictions. What's good the goose...
>
>We'd like nothing better than to be able to afford to keep all
>the layers current and allow anyone who wants to download them for
>free, but guess what - that takes a huge budget we just don't have.
That's a great excuse. Is it allowed on your State Income Tax/Sales
Tax/Excise Tax/Fees/Permits/Inspections/Licensing/ etc. forms? I can see
this very useful checkbox - Don't have it, sorry!
>
>http://www.cgia.state.nc.us/cost.html
The charges outlined on these page are outrageous IMHO. Assuming you already
are required to develop the layers in question (as you appear to be by the
statements above) the incremental cost of delivering the next electronic
copy should be "too cheap to meter" and should be free to download. Granted
there should be mechanisms for any special requests for developing or
enhancing GIS data. But data that is "base map" related (Streets,
boundaries, elevations, etc.) should always be free IMO. Any pulic domain
data developed outside your agency (Like DOQQs, etc.) should certainly be
free and be provided as a service to your public.
Glenn's point of it not being inexpensive to serve up data is valid to some
extent. But once the infrastructure (backbone resident server with adequate
server capacity, something the state is probably already doing for other web
based services) is there for a statewide operation the ongoing cost should
be insignificant.
It is interesting to see on your data pages that your are offering for sale
public domain data from other agencies and jurisdictions - how capitalist of
you!
It appears to me you are just running a little business by maintaining a
chokepoint on GIS data that has already been mandated to be developed. Is
that really appropriate for a taxpayer funded agency?
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