Re:Avoid Tiger
on
Open Maps?
·
· Score: 2, Informative
TIGER data are as accurate as any commercial data source you will use, as there is a single provider of road data for everyone.
Apparently, GDT Inc. is the provider of street network for all major GIS Software corporations (including MapInfo, ESRI, Intergraph and others) and government entities. Perhaps the most important information on this company is the Department of Commerce publication CB96-194 of 1996, which announces that the US Census Bureau would acquire data from GDT Inc. in a long term cooperation effort to have an up-to-date TIGER database.
The question from where GDT Inc. acquired their data is further hidden, apart from the fact that they used USGS data. A hint towards the answer is found in meta data from the USGS (specifically http://minerals.usgs.gov/sddp/doc/roads.txt), clearly indicating that the data were derived from TIGER/Line files. This means that GDT Inc. did not provide the data for the US Census, rather, it provided updates to the existing data. Therefore the source goes back to the US Census Bureau, that actually provides information on their data in a more straightforward way.
To compile the TIGER data, 1:100,000 USGS topographic maps were digitized by USGS on behalf of the Census Bureau. For urban regions, GBF/DIME files created in the 70's were used, that were updated in 1981 and 1985. Therefore one of the originating sources has been traced back to the Census Bureau (the urban area data). The other originator, USGS has a longer history. The attempts to map the USA started in 1879, on a scale of 1:24,000. Therefore the 1:100,000 maps used to create the US Census maps are derivations of 1:24,000 maps that started being compiled in 1879 and update since then by planetable surveying. After the 1930's, aerial photographs were used. The original purpose on creating these very first maps was a mandate by Congress to "classify public lands" (http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/booklets/topo/to po.html), therefore the original sponsor of the data was the US Government itself. You can't get any better than that I think.
Apparently, GDT Inc. is the provider of street network for all major GIS Software corporations (including MapInfo, Intergraph and others) and government entities. Perhaps the most important information on this company is the Department of Commerce publication CB96-194 of 1996, which announces that the US Census Bureau would acquire data from GDT Inc. in a long term cooperation effort to have an up-to-date TIGER database.
The question from where GDT Inc. acquired their data is further hidden, appart from the fact that the used USGS data. A hint towards the answer is found in meta data from the USGS (specifically http://minerals.usgs.gov/sddp/doc/roads.txt), clearly indicating that the data were derived from TIGER/Line files. This means that GDT Inc. did not provide the data for the US Census, rather, it provided updates to the existing data. Therefore the source goes back to the US Census Bureau, that actually provides information on their data in a more straightforward way.
To compile the TIGER data, 1:100,000 USGS topographic maps were digitized by USGS on behalf of the Census Bureau. For urban regions, GBF/DIME files created in the 70's were used, that were updated in 1981 and 1985. Therefore one of the originating sources has been traced back to the Census Bureau (the urban area data). The other originator, USGS has a longer history. The attempts to map the USA started in 1879, on a scale of 1:24,000. Therefore the 1:100,000 maps used to create the US Census maps are derivations of 1:24,000 maps that started being compiled in 1879 and update since then by planetable surveying. After the 1930's, aerial photographs were used. The original purpose on creating these very first maps was a mandate by Congress to "classify public lands" (http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/booklets/topo/to po.html), therefore the original sponsor of the data was the US Government itself.
Have you ever even bothered to look at this? The US Census website advertises the "good deals" they get from private companies to build their geospatial data. I am not refering to the population count, I am referring to the spatial data (locations of streets, housing units, etc).
I refer you to the Department of Commerce publication CB96-194 of 1996, which announces that the US Census Bureau would acquire data from GDT Inc. in a long term cooperation effort to have an up-to-date TIGER database.
Apparently, the US Census is in fact doing its business of counting people, and leaves the geographic data collection to someone else like they should. Now, why that someone else is not the USGS or some similar entity is beyond me.
What is their definition of a data set? A data set for the NSA/CIA/FBI may have attributes for military locations, population density, etc.
Now, if they get their hands on a data set by the Parks Commisioner, indicating locations of forests with attributes relating to the trees, I highly doubt that would be threatening.
So a 1% possibility that a data set may be useful to terrorists is subjective, as it depends on their objective.
In the right hands, any data set can potentialy enhance the ability of terrorists. And of course, don't forget. Private companies are the ones that sell most of the data to the government (see US Census for example). Why bother going after government publication of data and not control to whom a company sells the data?
As for the fiber optic map... It was useful not because you can cut cables (redundancy does exist), but because you know the ends of cables are to where corporations are (that is why the dissertation did get credit in the first place). Also, you know that where the biggest bandwidth cable go to is a prime target, as it promises a network depended coproration/entity that could be damaged by loss of communications.
All I thought was that RAND proposed using a rewards system to give incentives to teachers, based on the private sector.
If I recall, one of their studies tried to argue that the Toyota system would benefit schools more than the restrictions of the "No Child Left Behind" Act, as it would set different goals for different schools, accounting for factors beyond the hands of the schools.
But then again, maybe they did advocate privatizing education somewhere and I missed it.
I am not sure on the costs you refer above, but one needs to take into account sustainable development. A Maglev train (or any other transportation improvement) has direct and indirect effects on other aspects of life. Most notably, you should read case studies in the proposed maglev train in Dutch transportation. Their model accounts for employment (indirectly induced) and population satisfaction.
Another important aspect that needs to be considered is the kind of transportation that is congested and needs relief. As you all know, the airline industry is complaining about lack of customers. The concentration of efforts should be on ground transportation, or whomever it serves.
And again, an important fact. Maglevs and highspeed transportation is suitable for higly dense populated areas geographically confined (ie it's not suitable for coast-to-coast connectedness).
A pretty good read about maglev solutions to american transportation problems was written by Thornton in 1991. It appeared in Technology Review v.94(3) titled "Beyond planes, trains and automobiles - why the US needs a maglev system."
Noticing a pattern here... Ironically enough, these improvements are likely to help develop the software for those that Israel considers to be their enemies (the Arab world and Persia, being Iran and parts of Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan).
Obviously you haven't been studying history after the 1st world war. Turkey and Israel are close allies, with Israel manufacturing most of their weapon systems in factories in Turkey, while Turkey buys technology from the Israelis (especially electronics and computers).
As for bridging the differences between Israelis and the Arabs... You'd be surprised by how well the people are doing. I have seen numerous Palestinians and Israelis hanging out, going together for family vacations etc. Even though we would all like to think that OSS will bring world peace, lets leave these kind of comments for beauty contests until we discover an actual way OSS helped harbour peace.
Slashdot Mirror
TIGER data are as accurate as any commercial data source you will use, as there is a single provider of road data for everyone.
o po.html), therefore the original sponsor of the data was the US Government itself. You can't get any better than that I think.
Apparently, GDT Inc. is the provider of street network for all major GIS Software corporations (including MapInfo, ESRI, Intergraph and others) and government entities. Perhaps the most important information on this company is the Department of Commerce publication CB96-194 of 1996, which announces that the US Census Bureau would acquire data from GDT Inc. in a long term cooperation effort to have an up-to-date TIGER database.
The question from where GDT Inc. acquired their data is further hidden, apart from the fact that they used USGS data. A hint towards the answer is found in meta data from the USGS (specifically http://minerals.usgs.gov/sddp/doc/roads.txt), clearly indicating that the data were derived from TIGER/Line files. This means that GDT Inc. did not provide the data for the US Census, rather, it provided updates to the existing data. Therefore the source goes back to the US Census Bureau, that actually provides information on their data in a more straightforward way.
To compile the TIGER data, 1:100,000 USGS topographic maps were digitized by USGS on behalf of the Census Bureau. For urban regions, GBF/DIME files created in the 70's were used, that were updated in 1981 and 1985. Therefore one of the originating sources has been traced back to the Census Bureau (the urban area data). The other originator, USGS has a longer history. The attempts to map the USA started in 1879, on a scale of 1:24,000. Therefore the 1:100,000 maps used to create the US Census maps are derivations of 1:24,000 maps that started being compiled in 1879 and update since then by planetable surveying. After the 1930's, aerial photographs were used. The original purpose on creating these very first maps was a mandate by Congress to "classify public lands" (http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/booklets/topo/t
Apparently, GDT Inc. is the provider of street network for all major GIS Software corporations (including MapInfo, Intergraph and others) and government entities. Perhaps the most important information on this company is the Department of Commerce publication CB96-194 of 1996, which announces that the US Census Bureau would acquire data from GDT Inc. in a long term cooperation effort to have an up-to-date TIGER database.
o po.html), therefore the original sponsor of the data was the US Government itself.
The question from where GDT Inc. acquired their data is further hidden, appart from the fact that the used USGS data. A hint towards the answer is found in meta data from the USGS (specifically http://minerals.usgs.gov/sddp/doc/roads.txt), clearly indicating that the data were derived from TIGER/Line files. This means that GDT Inc. did not provide the data for the US Census, rather, it provided updates to the existing data. Therefore the source goes back to the US Census Bureau, that actually provides information on their data in a more straightforward way.
To compile the TIGER data, 1:100,000 USGS topographic maps were digitized by USGS on behalf of the Census Bureau. For urban regions, GBF/DIME files created in the 70's were used, that were updated in 1981 and 1985. Therefore one of the originating sources has been traced back to the Census Bureau (the urban area data). The other originator, USGS has a longer history. The attempts to map the USA started in 1879, on a scale of 1:24,000. Therefore the 1:100,000 maps used to create the US Census maps are derivations of 1:24,000 maps that started being compiled in 1879 and update since then by planetable surveying. After the 1930's, aerial photographs were used. The original purpose on creating these very first maps was a mandate by Congress to "classify public lands" (http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/booklets/topo/t
Have you ever even bothered to look at this? The US Census website advertises the "good deals" they get from private companies to build their geospatial data. I am not refering to the population count, I am referring to the spatial data (locations of streets, housing units, etc).
I refer you to the Department of Commerce publication CB96-194 of 1996, which announces that the US Census Bureau would acquire data from GDT Inc. in a long term cooperation effort to have an up-to-date TIGER database.
Apparently, the US Census is in fact doing its business of counting people, and leaves the geographic data collection to someone else like they should. Now, why that someone else is not the USGS or some similar entity is beyond me.
What is their definition of a data set? A data set for the NSA/CIA/FBI may have attributes for military locations, population density, etc.
Now, if they get their hands on a data set by the Parks Commisioner, indicating locations of forests with attributes relating to the trees, I highly doubt that would be threatening.
So a 1% possibility that a data set may be useful to terrorists is subjective, as it depends on their objective.
In the right hands, any data set can potentialy enhance the ability of terrorists. And of course, don't forget. Private companies are the ones that sell most of the data to the government (see US Census for example). Why bother going after government publication of data and not control to whom a company sells the data?
As for the fiber optic map... It was useful not because you can cut cables (redundancy does exist), but because you know the ends of cables are to where corporations are (that is why the dissertation did get credit in the first place). Also, you know that where the biggest bandwidth cable go to is a prime target, as it promises a network depended coproration/entity that could be damaged by loss of communications.
If I recall, one of their studies tried to argue that the Toyota system would benefit schools more than the restrictions of the "No Child Left Behind" Act, as it would set different goals for different schools, accounting for factors beyond the hands of the schools.
But then again, maybe they did advocate privatizing education somewhere and I missed it.
Another important aspect that needs to be considered is the kind of transportation that is congested and needs relief. As you all know, the airline industry is complaining about lack of customers. The concentration of efforts should be on ground transportation, or whomever it serves.
And again, an important fact. Maglevs and highspeed transportation is suitable for higly dense populated areas geographically confined (ie it's not suitable for coast-to-coast connectedness).
A pretty good read about maglev solutions to american transportation problems was written by Thornton in 1991. It appeared in Technology Review v.94(3) titled "Beyond planes, trains and automobiles - why the US needs a maglev system."
Leave it to Americans to think pissed means angry...
Noticing a pattern here... Ironically enough, these improvements are likely to help develop the software for those that Israel considers to be their enemies (the Arab world and Persia, being Iran and parts of Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan). Obviously you haven't been studying history after the 1st world war. Turkey and Israel are close allies, with Israel manufacturing most of their weapon systems in factories in Turkey, while Turkey buys technology from the Israelis (especially electronics and computers). As for bridging the differences between Israelis and the Arabs... You'd be surprised by how well the people are doing. I have seen numerous Palestinians and Israelis hanging out, going together for family vacations etc. Even though we would all like to think that OSS will bring world peace, lets leave these kind of comments for beauty contests until we discover an actual way OSS helped harbour peace.