[Novalug] [OT] Google takes heat for using pre-Katrina imagery

[Bonnie Dalzell]

In college I became aquainted with the mapping skills of the USGS (US
Geological survey). I was after all a paleontology major. I would
challenge you to point me to a source of available geological and
geographical information in the private sector that matches the maps
available via the USGS.

Private organizations that engage in geological mapping often keep the
results of these activities secret because of the involvement with
valuable resources - basically their maps are trade secrets. 

Also the USGS - in a money saving mode - has been one of the earliest
government agencies to have a strongly presented web presence. Much
cheaper to let people down load stuff than to have to have the government
printing office print it out and have people package and mail things out -
even if the purchaser is paying for the cost of printing and mailing.

Government publications are in the public domain. The scientists who
author them are paid a salary but subsequent use by the public does
not necessatate the payment of a royalty - only a credit for the
source. This is a great benefit in the educational field for text books
and class handouts. Generally the salaries of government scientists
are somewhat less than private industry pays so in the long run the
public benefits by supporting agencies such as the USGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                       Bonnie Dalzell, MA 
mail:5100 Hydes Rd ---- Hydes MD USA 21082-----EMAIL:bdalzell at qis.net
 
freelance anatomist, vertebrate paleontologist, writer, illustrator, dog
breeder, computer nerd & iconoclast... Borzoi info at www.borzois.com.
 
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