

Ordnance Survey releases mapping tool - joosters
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-32019261

======
joosters
More information here: [http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/about/news/2015/four-
new-os-...](http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/about/news/2015/four-new-os-open-
data-products.html)

With the data sources here:
[https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendatadownload/products.h...](https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendatadownload/products.html)

TBH I'm not too sure what is new and what isn't here, I'm sure I've used a
mapping app that was based on the OS Open Map data. But the OS Open Names is
not something that I've heard of before.

------
Doctor_Fegg
Essentially this is a more detailed (less generalised) version of the open
data already published by the OS. It has more accurate building outlines and
all road names, whereas their earlier open vector dataset (VectorMap District)
had generalised outlines and only selected road names. Good news.

------
estefan
I've never looked at this before, but it seems like OS Open Names could
finally let me do address->coordinates searches without a third party.

I thought post code data was strictly copyrighted by the post office and you
had to pay them to do that, or use a provider who has.

~~~
Doctor_Fegg
Postcode centroid <-> lat/long has been open data since the initial OS
OpenData release. However, if you want detailed polygons rather than
centroids, or actual house number/name data, then this is jealously guarded by
Royal F^HMail.

The new "OS Open Names" dataset essentially presents the existing datasets in
a uniform hierarchy. Think of it as the source data behind an autocomplete
geocoder. But it still won't get you the exact lat/long for 27 High Street.

