Talk:Isle of Wight press release 2006

Has anyone distributed this to the IWCP? If not I'll do it today. --Nick 13:23, 25 Apr 2006 (UTC)

• • As of 1300 BST I have updated the release

Nick, I'm not sure the "(Steve at asklater dot com)" is the best format to use in a press release Dmgroom 14:52, 26 Apr 2006 (UTC)

Haven't we got about 10 people coming from Norway too? TomC 12:57, 19 Apr 2006 (UTC)

IMHO this potential release (I appreciate its still a draft) is too long, has two many negatives and doesnt hit with a punch in the first and last sentences. For the press you either need something very short and simple so they don’t edit it or a number of short and sweet positive statements that they can cherry pick what they want. This is not meant to be a criticism and I'm no PR manager, but having spent time in the past with seeing releases go out and their ultimate usage(misuse) by the media I know its tough to get the right balance, especially for technically orientated content. My experience is that you need to drop all the technical stuff expect that which the general public know about (eg gps). Technical stuff for technical press can be used but I would suggest its left in separate short statements as background following the release proper. If some help is needed let me know. Blackadder 12:33, 27 Apr 2006 (UTC)

I spoke to Harald a few weeks ago, and subsequently emailed him some info on accomodation and car hire, but I haven't heard anything from Norway in the last two weeks. Dmgroom 17:41, 19 Apr 2006 (UTC). Just heard form Harald, and yes 9 are coming Dmgroom 09:22, 21 Apr 2006 (UTC)

On the subject of the public release: What do you think? Is it too simplistic? I went for "so simple my grandmother could understand" approach. --Nick 14:08, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

draft press release from mapchester below, can we use bits of it? User:Steve

        Mapchester: Making an open-source map for Manchester

                Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th May, 2006

        http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Mapchester

                                ++++++++
** When bands like the Happy Mondays stalked the Hacienda, Manchester was
dubbed 'Madchester'; now, a new generation of phreaks are in town,
renaming the city 'Mapchester', showing that it isn.t just music that puts
the city on the map. **
                                ++++++++

We are organising a weekend mapping workshop - 'Mapchester' -  to generate
a new kind map of Manchester produced by collective, community effort that
will be completely copyright-free. We are seeking volunteer citizen
cartographers to participate in mapping the city for free.

Our goal is to bring together as wide an array of different people who are
interested in mapping and get them to walk / cycle / drive / bus / train /
skate / etc / along city streets recording GPS tracks and noting down road
names. These tracks will then be put online in the OpenStreetMap database
and edited into map features. We hope that collectively people will work
to completely map whole quarters of the city over the weekend.


Getting involved:

.How: Just come along and choose an area of central Manchester to
map. Head out with a GPS and notepad to record street names and other
notable features. You can map for the whole day or just for a few hours.
No prior mapping experience needed - intro briefings and equipment
training will be provided.

.When: Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th May, 2006. Welcome briefings
held at 10am and 2pm both days.

.Where: Mapchester HQ, Lower Ground Floor, 117-119 Portland Street,
Manchester M1 6ED, see http://manchesterdda.com/article/12/ . (The space
has been generously provided by the Manchester Digital Development Agency
and they are also helping in signing people up to take part.)
.Registering: if you are interested in participating please send an
email: mapchester@manchesterdda.com or call Jo Blackwell on tele: 0161 255
8111. (Please indicate on what days you want to participate and whether
you have your own GPS / laptop.)

.Refreshments: Drinks and a sandwich lunch will be provided for
participants.

.What to bring: If you have it please bring your own mapping
equipment (GPS, laptop, camera, notepad + pencil, etc). If you don't have
a GPS receiver, don't worry, there will be a number of extra units
available on each day. If you have never used a GPS receiver, don't worry
either, hands on training will be provided.

.Further questions: please contact Martin Dodge (m.dodge@manchester.ac.uk).


Some background:

Mapchester is an experiment in .citizen cartography. that we hope will
make a significant contribution to wider efforts in so-called
.open-source. mapping. This an emerging and rapidly growing cartographic
activity, driven in part by technology (cheap GPS equipment and online
collaboration tools, like OpenStreetMap.org), but also by a very different
ethos to knowledge production. Under open-source models the right of
authorship are de-centred and the ownership of knowledge is seen as a
common resource that can be distributed and re-used without restriction or
license. As such .opening. up mapmaking has real potential to empower
people to create their own knowledge and encourages re-use of cartographic
resources in novel, creative ways.

The map data produced for central Manchester will contribute to
OpenStreetMap.org, one of the leading projects in the open-source mapping
field. Currently, OpenStreetMap has mapped 25,000 kilometres of roads in
the UK, including all motorways. However, thus far the majority of this
data is for London and Birmingham and many other major cities are hardly
mapped at all. It is hoped that an intensive effort to build a map of the
whole of a city in a weekend will inspire others and be important to build
momentum across the country.

All the map data generated for Mapchester will be free to view, edit and
use via the  OpenStreetMap platform. An editable map will also be created
and used as a test-case festival guide for the Futuresonic International
Festival, held in Manchester in July 2006.


Mapchester mapping weekend is supported by:

* University of Manchester, School of Environment and Development
  (http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/geography/)
* Manchester Geographical Society (http://www.mangeogsoc.org.uk/)
* Manchester Digital Development Agency (http://www.manchesterdda.com/)
* Future Everything / Futuresonic International Festival
  (http://www.futureeverything.org/)

Mapchester organising committee:

Steve Coast (OpenStreetMap.org); Drew Hemment (Futuresonic); Mick Lockwood
(Salford University); Martin Dodge & Chris Perkins (Geography, University
of Manchester).


Please spread the word about Mapchester and forward this invitation to
come and map Manchester to other people who might be interested.