[vox-announce] Linux Users' Group of Davis - "OpenStreetMap", Fri. May 16th @ UCDavis

[nbs]

The Linux Users' Group of Davis (LUGOD), together with GLOBAL: geography club,
will be holding a general meeting on A SPECIAL DAY OF THE WEEK:

  Friday
  May 16, 2008
  7:00pm - 9:00pm


The meeting will be held at A SPECIAL LOCATION:

  Giedt Hall
  Room 1006
  UC Davis campus
  Davis, California 95616


Presentation:

  The OpenStreetMap Project

  Presented by:
    Steve Coast, founder

  The OpenStreetMap ( http://www.openstreetmap.org/ ) project is a map
  of the world which anyone can edit, where the data is given away
  freely.  Much like Wikipedia allows the collaborative creation of an
  encyclopedia, OSM allows users to trace aerial imagery or use GPS
  units to create geometry.  That geometry is then "tagged" with
  key/value pairs such as 'highway:motorway' and 'name:Baker Street'.

  Started in August 2004, OSM is now approaching 35,000 users around the
  world.  Why?  Geographical data (geo data) is not free in many parts
  of the world, like the United Kingdom.  Generally these places have
  given the task of mapping to various government agencies who in return
  get to make money by selling the data back to you and me.  If you live
  in one of these countries, then your taxes pay for the mapping and
  then you have to pay again to get a copy of it.  In the USA crude data
  (such as TIGER) from the government, is in the public domain, however
  refined data and finished maps are generally commercially copyrighted.


Free Pizza!

  LUGOD will be providing free pizza from The Village Bakery at this event!
  (First come, first served!)


For details on this meeting, visit:

  http://www.lugod.org/meeting/


For maps, directions, public transportation schedules, etc., visit:

  http://www.lugod.org/meeting/giedthall/


About LUGOD:

  The Linux Users' Group of Davis is a 501(c)7 non-profit organization
  dedicated to the Linux computer operating system and other Open Source
  and Free Software.

  LUGOD holds regular meetings with guest speakers in Davis, California,
  as well as other events in Davis and the greater Sacramento region.
  Events are always free and open to the public.

  Please visit our website for more details:  http://www.lugod.org/


About GLOBAL:

  The Geographical Legacy Of the Benevolent Aggies League is better
  known as the GLOBAL: geography club.  A student organization at UC
  Davis that works to unify people with an interest in geography as an
  academic discipline.  GLOBAL hosts exploration trips, work to support
  members traveling to academic conferences and advocate for geography
  education both in the University of California and the community as a
  whole.

  See DavisWiki.org's article for more:  http://daviswiki.org/GLOBAL

-- 
Bill Kendrick
pr at lugod.org
Public Relations Officer
Linux Users' Group of Davis
http://www.lugod.org/
(Your address: vox-announce at lists.lugod.org )