Finally, it has been suggested (in TC tonight), that an open database of places should now be everyone’s priority. Google, Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook et al are all chasing after the exact same thing and thus as TC reported are bound to start replicating the same information sooner or later. It’s madness therefore to continue on a path that none of them are likely to win in the long term.
For over 3.5 years iGuidez has been building on this theory as we geotag all our videos, photos and information. The database is not open to third parties yet since we don’t have the capacity or resources to deal with such developments, however, the basis for our geo-database to be edited or modified to reflect the most comprehensive and updated info is a cert.
Our most complete model – Bologna, Italy – contains almost 250 video guides with thousands of photos and realms of relevant information that are in turn geotagged on Google Maps. This database may be in its infancy but it’s the only one to exist that displays an organised geo-directory for one single city that includes public, private and state owned buildings and landmarks. Furthermore, for each individual place there is enough information/images to satisfy most peoples’ interest which means it can be easily edited for smaller apps and services. As TC suggest:
…thousands could be innovating on top of an open database with new Geo services, advertising, and apps.
Just take a look at: City Art gallery or San Mamolo Hotel and see how easy it would be to create these new Geo services and ads around this current geo-directory.
Building trust though is another question entirely and may take something like a Wikipedia type of web site to ensure anyone can at least have some say about whether data needs to be changed. Or… if there was a bigger push by city officials in the tourism sector to create a system based on our own present one then more locals with the relevant knowledge about their own cities just might be able to pull this project together than a big multi-international company.