Create and share routes using the Ordnance Survey's new web site.
The Ordnance Survey has launched a beta version of a new
web site called 'Explore' which allows users to upload and
share routes in the UK using online OS maps.
It's a nice, easy to use set -up which allows you to create your
own routes, complete with mapping, descriptions and points of
interest and also to upload images.
To input a route you simply register on the site then click on an
online map to trace the route. Next you add a title and description
before finally being given the option to delineate points of interest
and add images relevant to each one.
We found it very easy to use and created our own local route for
local people as an experiment. We'd give you a link to it, but
strangely the terms and conditions of the site say that you are:
'expressly prohibited from: ... hypertext linking to any page of
the OEP Portal.'
We're not sure whether this includes the homepage, but out of
respect for the OS's legal eagles, we're not going to risk it...
So, if you want to see the site, it's
explore.dot.ordnancesurvey.dot.co.dot.uk
Has anyone read those conditions and thought about them, oh, wtf,
the site is at explore.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
. You can find our route by searching for 'Glossop' :-)
Update We've just spoken to the OS and apparently the terms and conditions are in the process of being revised. The intention was never to prevent users from linking to the site, but rather to stop anyone, say, uploading a route with links to - for the sake of argument - the web site for their mum and dad's bed and brekkie. So you're free to link to the site after all. As are we :-)
