Google Has Licensed ALL of DigitalGlobe’s Imagery Exclusively for Online/Web Use
Interesting post just came over the Geowanking email list:
“FYI..
It appears that Google licensed ALL of DigitalGlobe’s imagery on an _exclusive_ basis for online presentation. So if i wanted to do something on a website, with DigitalGlobe’s hi-res imagery, for example if the Google Maps framework isn’t flexible enough, i cannot legally go around Google to license the image myself! I can imagine why Google did this – to prevent Microsoft,Mapquest etc. from licensing the same imagery in their webmapping frameworks – but the net effect is that ordinary people, NGOs and small companies are also cut off.
This seems to skirt the edge of ‘do no evil’.”
Even more interesting is that DigitalGlobe has directed Ben to GeoEye for imagery but he’s stuck because of cloud coverage.
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I’ve seen similar things happen for more localized datasets. Licenses like this tends to open up business for other data vendors. Suddenly you don’t have to compete with Digital Globe anymore to sell your imagery.
Actually, it’s probably not an exclusive liscence, so you would be able to use the imagery if you have a contract as well.
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