I’ve recently taken on a new job, after 17 years of consultancy. I grew restive at my own weak points, and wanted to outsource sales and management, neither of which I am very good at. I’m now working for Cloudmade, which is a for-profit company seeking to advance the use of OpenStreetMap data. Open Data is very similar in manner to Open Source. It’s data that nobody can own, because its value is in the community that creates, cares for, and nurtures it. Try to own the data, and you cut it off from the community which is its life.

I’m travelling around the North East of the USA, helping people learn to use GPS receivers to map their community, and the tools needed to enter that map data into OpenStreetMap. I’m available to talk to people about Open Source, and Open Data, and OpenStreetMap, and mapping. Contact me here, at nelson@ Open Source Initiative, or my work address, russ@ my employer.com.

I continue in my current duties as an OSI board member: unofficial corresponding secretary, Chair of the License Approval Committee, and postmaster.