Relying on VGI for your mapping needs is like relying on Twitter for your news
Yesterday's blog post about Wikipedia losing volunteers and what that possibly might mean for Open Street Map triggered a wave of reaction (a backlash, rather) on this blog, on Paul Ramsey's blog, and on Twitter. Most of it came from OSM advocates who perceived my post as a knock on Open Street Map.
I am not knocking Open Street Map. I wrote: "Collaborative mapping certainly has its place in the GIS ecosystem, but it is often misunderstood, and on occasion misrepresented." The misrepresentation is what I have a problem with.
A crucial issue with all volunteer-based systems is what motivates people to volunteer their efforts (HT Kirk Kuykendall), and also what unmotivates them – i.e., what motivates people to cease to volunteer their efforts. Without a fundamental understanding of these forces, it would be naïve to view such systems as anything more than exotic flowers that inspire, but may not be there tomorrow.
Posted by Atanas Entchev at 11/24/2009 8:12 PM 
Categories: Data,FOSS,Open Source,Web 2.0,Opinion,blog,Maps,GIS,Business,Online Mapping,OS,VGI,OSM,Twitter
Tags: FOSS Open Source blog Web 2.0 Opinion Business Maps OS GIS Online Mapping Twitter Data VGI OSM
Categories: Data,FOSS,Open Source,Web 2.0,Opinion,blog,Maps,GIS,Business,Online Mapping,OS,VGI,OSM,Twitter
Tags: FOSS Open Source blog Web 2.0 Opinion Business Maps OS GIS Online Mapping Twitter Data VGI OSM
Sure, but who'd understand these forces better than people in the OSM (or open source) community?
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Fear is also a good motivator for VGI. I helped build an Emergency Notification System (ENS) for a 911 district here in Texas.
If you want to be notified you may volunteer your location(s) using a PIN sent by SMS to your cell phone upon registration. In the event of an emergency, the ENS sends messages to cell phones in the affected area.
Of course many are more fearful of the gov't knowing where they are than they are of any (other) disaster. So I guess for some it is a de-motivator.
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Here is my best analogy so far (I think): Collaborative mapping/VGI is like a love affair -- hot and exciting, but short-lived; professional mapping is like a stable marriage -- less excitement perhaps, but more reliable and predictable.
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