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Photos: "Citizen cartographers" mapping the planet
How OpenStreetMap is taking on Google and Ordnance Survey...

By Andy McCue

Published: Monday 13 November 2006

OpenStreetMap started two years ago and is aiming to take on the likes of Google Maps and Ordnance Survey (OS) by creating a free open source wiki-style map of the planet.

OpenStreetMap relies on volunteers to collect the mapping data and holds regular 'mapping parties' at weekends to blitz a particular area. Here are a few of them getting ready to head out on foot, bikes and by car on a mapping weekend in the Surrey Hills at the end of last month.

Founder Steve Coast (pictured far left in a blue shirt) started OpenStreetMap in response to the legal and technical restrictions on the use of other maps such as Google and OS.

He said: "This data is freely available. Google buys commercially restricted data. It can't make that available for free."

Photo credit: Libby Miller