Bing, Microsoft’s portal/search/mapping service has announced that they will start providing OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, as an optional layer, in Bing Maps. OSM data will be downloaded from Microsoft’s fast Azure CDN, as opposed to OSM’s ‘slow’ servers.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with Microsoft using OpenStreetMap data. That’s why it’s Open. But then again, I am surprised how Microsoft can be so obtuse as to not give something back to OpenStreetMap, be it in technical services, financial support or just mapping data — as a token of appreciation for their work. Yahoo did, since 2006, when they allowed OSM to use their (somewhat dated) aerial photography to enrich the database. Many organisations, including Google and Multimap, have in one way or another supported OSM, in parallel with their own commercial mapping activity. Countless smaller organisations and individuals, including us, contribute to OSM whenever possible (I first wrote about OSM here, in late 2007).
On the other hand, Microsoft, one of the world’s largest corporations and — arguably — a leading ambassador of mediocrity — both technically and in terms of marketing — suffices to an announcement that they’ll make use of OSM data in their product, without giving back anything. Clearly because they don’t have to. Also because they, most probably, fail to understand what ‘community’ means. Most certainly because they don’t realise how good any support to OSM, be it technical, financial or just in terms of data, like Yahoo did some years ago, would do to their tarnished public image and their dwindling mindshare among the people that matter, both within the industry and beyond. Quite sad as their support would probably mean a lot to both OSM and Microsoft in its effort to redefine itself in the post-PC era.
