Saturday, March 26, 2011

About 2000+ maps and a treasure

#Wikimedia OTRS received an offer from Geographicus Fine Antique Maps for us to receive over 2000 historic maps with annotations in March, it created the enthusiasm needed to have it on-line within a month.

As we gain experience, the process of uploading becomes more sophisticated and now that it is all there, it is time for our community to work its magic. While rich in annotations, these maps needs to be categorised and find its place in articles. It will be sweet when the cartographers are identified and get their own articles.


In his announcement of the completion of the upload, Multichil mentioned the things we could do with such exquisite maps; one of them is overlay old maps on top of modern maps. A tool from the New York Public Library does exactly that. Combine it with the OpenSteetMap collaboration that is still waiting in the wings and we bring to two communities the shared benefit of open content and collaboration.


Among all these maps is one pointing the way to El Dorado. There is one thing lacking and, it is the X that makes it a genuine treasure map. Maybe you have to go there and look at the end of the rainbow.
Thanks,
      GerardM

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Woah! So many maps gifted to us?