Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap are completely different to Post Codes. They contain information, post codes are just data. Individuals access wikipedia and openstreetmap for their own purposes and decide on a case by case basis how much they trust what they see - they process the information intelligently. Postcode data is usually used in an automated way and is either right or wrong. Data of unknown quality is virtually useless.
Charging a fee for the PAF is not that different to a tax, it is just a tax on those who want to use the data... However if it were only charged to commercial users then it would be a tax on those who *profited* from the use of the data - which I can see as a far more agreeable and arguable position. Paul /)/+) 2009/10/7 Tim Morley <[email protected]> > On 7 Oct 2009, at 10:07, paul perrin wrote: > > > The problem with free the post code is that it is never going to be > > complete/accurate enough to rely on... and worse, you have > > absolutely no idea of how accurate/complete/incomplete it is... a > > good idea but fundamentally flawed. > > Ditto OpenStreetMap. Ditto Wikipedia. People have been saying they > can't possibly be any use for years, but that hasn't stopped them > evolving into really useful, free resources. > > > The strength of the post code system is that it is complete and > > reliable > > Clearly you've never lived on a new development, where three years > after my house was built, an ambulance couldn't find it based on its > postcode; and two years after the Cambridge postcodes were updated, > my Virgin Media bill still comes with the old postcode on it. > > > It does cost money to maintain post codes - (and other freeable > > data - like ordinance survey maps) - if the data is freed then > > where does the money come from? > > Again, it's a discussion that's been had many times, not least on > this list if IIRC, but the gist of it is that the cost of creating > and maintaining the postcodes was and is born by the taxpayer. The > current model for recouping some of that cost is to charge for the > data. A different and arguably better model is to make the data > freely available and to rake in more tax from the increased economic > activity that results. > > > Tim > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list [email protected] > Archive, settings, or unsubscribe: > https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/mailman/listinfo/developers-public >
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