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Posted by jimirwin on March 19, 2005, 11:10 pm
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Faustino Dina wrote in comp.infosystems.gis:
> I have some questions about data sources in the GIS world and I'll
> appreciate anybody clear my mind. I need a digital map of my locality
> just for testing some ideas I'm cooking in mind. I want to develop a
> prototype GIS application that ultimately (if all goes as planned)
> will be comercialized either by selling the software (digital map
> included), or by some kind of subscription. So my questions are
> related where I can find a digital map for using in an application
> that I could re-sell.
> I have been googling and found many sources for digital maps, but the
> prices they report I suspect are for "personal use". Since the
> applicattion will be for testing I need a cheap digital map,
> preferable free. But I suspects it is not free digital maps, so I'm
> considering generate my own digital maps from some kind of aerial or
> satellital data. I've found US Geological Survey sells a product
> called DOQQ which can be used for deriving a map from. But can I do
> that?, can I sell a digital map derived from DOQQ data purchased from
> USGS? I've checked the USGS site but there is no info about the
> "rights" I acquire with the purchased data... So any hint, idea about
> how to get or derive a digital map for reselling, and the involved
> legalese will be welcome. Thanks in advance
>
There is quite a bit of free (i.e. public) data for the US. The Census
Bureau provides the Tiger/Line files, and the USGS provides the DLG
vector data and the DRG raster data, which is essentially the scanned
images of the well-known topographic maps. You have already found the
other USGS products. You can download the Tiger/Line and DLG data from
their sources. You can even resell it if you want (quite a number of
people do resell the data, as you will find with a quick Google search.)
The DRG data is not available for download directly from the USGS, but
most states have made the DRGs for their state available for download.
I have a list of free DRG download sites for every state at
http://www.holoscenes.com/special/drg_sources.html.
--
Jim Irwin
http://www.holoscenes.com
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