Speed Camera Database to Turn Professional

gstenson · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:25 pm Post subject:

As a long term user of TomTom and pocketgps (see my join date) I am disappointed with this decision. I dont doubt that the £2 fee is cheap, but this database has been built with the open community and surely is the equivalent to 'open source'. I have openly promoted this site to all my friends and colleagues to download this database who in turn visit the site and view all the adverts - this surely can pay for this service, or at least contribute. This is like saying that Linux will introduce a fee everytime you download the source binaries. Introducing a fee, no matter what people have said, will discourage a MASSIVE amount of people from downloading and contributing in the future. I know I will have second thoughts from now on Sad

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metroace · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:50 pm Post subject:

Flashyphotos · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:54 pm Post subject:

Personally I still find the Database flaky in many areas,

Not sown to you but down to some of the user reporting, in the areas I travel a lot of Ghost cameras exist amny being ANPR Sites and Trafficmaster cameras,

Many have been wrong for the best part of a year and are not removed despite requests,

So personally on a paid database I will be taking my money to a more expensive but Proffesionally updated service rather than rellying on a user Dbase that generates many errors,

If its down to cash I would rather pay more and get the better service,

Just my opinion

Thanks

Richard

worthingsaxovtr · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:59 pm Post subject:

hmm

I am not opposed to the 2.00 charge, but I still find the database empty in some areas where i have found cameras.

Also if we submit a new camera do we get some sort of discount, as opposed to say a user that just uses the database and doesnt contribute.

ALos if you contribute to the speed camera database, and also have to pay for it, why should the person be bothered to do it. It would be like they are paying themselves.

The whole point about the databse being free, is that that is the part that attracts people. How about just making me or influencing people to donate instead of adding a charge .

tomthompson · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject:

I have read with some amusement the replies to the charging for the download of the speed camera database.
Having been around on this site for what seems an eternity I have seen it grow beyond anything envisaged by anyone. I do remember going to one of the 1st meets which was in a small pub in the country and there were something like 20 of us looking at the latest gear. I think this shows the growth that has gone on here and it amazes me that its still done part time

The database has saved my licence on so many occassions as most know I do a lot of miles on a motorbike and it is so easy to just twist the throttle to get past some idiot wandering all over the road and flash bang wallop more points on the licence. So a small charge and £2 is a small charge and worth it . Especially as I have just obtained a Garmin 2720 and lo and behold there is a garmin section for the database Whooppee.

So my vote stays with the blokes that run this site and do the database, and if the charge is £2 they will get my money and not begrudgingly either.

CoPilot

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james_uk9 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 16, 2005 Posts: 26

stuart · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:20 pm Post subject: Speed Camera Data

Oh My God. This is bound to stir up a huge hornets nest. So many questions to be asked. Will the data purchased be bang up to date. if not, and I pay by Visa, will I get a refund if an un-logged device flashes me. Comsumer Protection Act...I have more doubts, as mentioned already. If 'we' submit new locations, we surely must have a share in the profits....I'm only asking.

BERT_UK · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 15, 2005 Posts: 45

I can appreciate the need to charge to cover the bandwidth costs of the server. After all bandwidth doesn't come free.

However, couldn't you help yourselves out a bit by dividing the database up into smaller portions? Currently the most recent database is approx 1.7MB in size, but most of the files contained in this archive will be redundant with the average downloader only interested in the files specific to their GPS. This would help to shave off some wasted bandwidth and thereby help to bring the cost of the database down as those saved bytes will soon turn into Kilobytes, to Megabytes and so on.....

Other options to lower bandwidth may also exist. Perhaps the use of Bit Torrent or partner sites to distribute the database? I don't know about the viability of these and you may already have investigated these other options.

I do have to agree with some other users comments though that expecting people to take the time and effort to record camera locations and then be charged for downloading the data could put many people off of bothering. I'd say on a whole that people don't mind helping out a company to correct their data but when they are the source of data it becomes a bit rich to be expected to pay for it.

I probably would only download the database a couple of times a year (or maybe before a long drive to an unfamiliar location) as I don't tend to travel lots .

To be honest, I'm not too sure what the best options are. I'm realistic to realise that servers, bandwidth and time does not come for free. I just wanted to share a few ideas to think about and some feedback on how I might use the paid for service.

rriggers · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 13

A few thoughts:
Might be useful for you to publish a change log each month with a break down of new cameras/moved/removed etc

You could also for subscribers to the service remove banner ads on the site?

stephenperry · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 09, 2005 Posts: 20

can anyone give opinions on how the "official" tomtom speed camera database compares to the pocketgps one?

stuart · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:52 pm Post subject: Speed Camera Locations

Is this site updated frequently. If so why send the details to PGPSW. Just do it yourself. How long will it be before a well known retailer of Sat Nav devices provides free downloads.

AlanK · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:37 pm Post subject:

I always thought this database worked so well as there were so many users out there that felt they owed something as a way of saying thanks!

So many people use it because it was free and there was nothing to lose. Add a charge to that, even only a small one, and there just wont be the same numbers using it.

Lower numbers of users = Even worse accuracy

From the last 5 pages it is fairly clear that you are going to lose a lot of users and therefore the number of updates are going to be cut drastically. Why the heck would I want to pay for something that is less accurate than it is now and certainly pointless in downloading every 30 days.

- Currently if there's a camera mistake/missing that's just a shame and something to be expected from a free source. I would correct it but have only just got round to downloading the update prog so was planning on doing so in the future. Having done so I would feel a bit more entitled to use the database and again provide further updates in doing so. That's pretty much how this thing works isn't it?

However if I had paid for the database I would be rather peeved that it wasn't up to par and certainly not nearly obliged to do anything about it. More likely I would go elsewhere looking for something more reliable. I certainly wouldn't feel the same way about providing an update for you to profit from!

I may be wrong here but if that's my feelings I am sure I am not the only person thinking the same so the only possibly outcome is the database is going to suffer. I don't think it is the cost that's the problem (altho per download is poor!) rather the cut numbers using it and consequently the accuracy.

I understand that there are costs incurred in running this site, as there are with most sites on the net. But you must make something from the adds shown here which benefit from the high volume of traffic. I would imagine a lot of this traffic is generated by people looking for the database (that's how I found it). Because of this I would imagine that that level is going to drop and along with it any revenue made from advertising so you will probably be worse off in the future.

Also I would love to know how on earth you will stop people from sharing the files, apart from P2P anyone that knows someone else using this will just split the cost with them and provide copies. Even users who don't know anyone else using it personally would just have to hunt a bit to find someone willing to take turns with the downloads.

<Not that I am suggesting this as my point that no-one will want a poor database will take over the pirate contingent sooner rather than later>

cantgetlost · Frequent Visitor Joined: Nov 14, 2005 Posts: 291

People with no connection making their knowledge and experiences available for free.
I find it sad that someone else is now going to take a profit from speed cameras.
If you want to turn pro and charge expect to lose forum contributor's. It was nice to find a site without commercial gain in mind.
I assumed that ads covered running costs. I doubt that you will keep 1/2 your contributors like other sites who have tried turning pro, they just get swallowed by companies who think they can make a bigger profit and your baby dies.
No worries I guess someone here will be out to exploit your loss's already.

velcrohead · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 27, 2004 Posts: 7

Boxbrownie · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:53 pm Post subject:

Shame.............

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