Digital Svalbard map freely available from 2015
It would almost be too good to be true: The Norwegian Kartverket (the mapping authority) has announced that digital maps will stepwise be made available to the public for free use. Maps from mainland Norway will make a start in October 2013. Svalbard is to follow in 2015.
Until now, the policy regarding digital Svalbard maps was very restrictive and has received strong critizism. There is a digi-map for sale (“Svalbard Topo-Explorer”) for more than 1000 NOK, but it is very inaccurate for large parts of Svalbard, and the purchase does not include any rights for use on the internet or in printed publications. So far, the copyright for use in print is astronomically expensive; for this reason, we have so far unfortunately not been able to use this map material in the guidebook Spitsbergen-Svalbard. There is an online version of the digital Svalbard map on the website of the Norwegian Polar Institute, which is very accurate, but it cannot be used offline, for example in GPS receivers in the field or for publications. Now there is hope for a real improvement from 2015.
According to the Kartverket, this step is meant to increase creativity and business use. Reason to smile for publishers and guidebook authors! 🙂
Digital map of Svalbard (screenshot from the website of the Norwegian Polar Institute): free use is announced to be possible from 2015, something that would be highly welcome for users in the field, publishers and digital economies.

Source: Computerworld
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last modification: 2014-07-01 ·
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