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Speed Camera Database to Turn Professional
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xsx10r
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Joined: Dec 20, 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have used the site and the database for several months now. I read this thread up to about page 9 yesterday. apologies if I am repeating anything already said.

I can appreciate the alienation felt by several contributors, but do feel the guys running this site and the database are doing the right thing. To an extent the data base is shared equity. It is good because of the contributions. Other paid for databases eg road angel get contributions from their subscribers. They don't bitch about it but must realise we are all familiar with our local area but occaisionally travel elsewhere. I view contributing as a form of hospitality to anyone who comes to my neck(s) of the woods, and will continue to contribute charge or not.

This is the important idea in this reply. There will be a number of major contributors to the database who are now Censored off. Why not issue them shares in it? If it goes on to make a profit, pay them a dividend. This will give an incentive to continue support. If other people contribute regularly, give them a subscription discount at a certain level of contribution. I know its not perfect and will upset some people, but at least its an idea to take this forward in a positive manner.

The guys running the site realise doing nothing is not an option. Change and the managemnt of change is always difficult. Consulting with all members of virtual community is not possible, many do not subscribe. Give them a break and lets go forward.
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JonnyW
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tomtomgo wrote:
Everyone, OK we are all miffed but lets just remember that with this one they have got it wrong big time but they have also done us all a lot of good in the past, let's not forget that.


Remember this though.

This "good" was our own doing. We submitted the Speed Camera locations and PGPSW only made a centralised file available for download. Something anybody could do with a website

PGPSW are not the be all and end all but if they charge for this database, they will soon be the latter.
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tomtomgo
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnny i agree with that but i was thinking of the overall site. As said as far as this one goes they have it wrong big time.
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ringostarr
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Joined: Dec 19, 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:55 pm    Post subject: Poll Update Reply with quote

Should the database be ........
Votes
FREE 88 % 141
Chargable 4 % 7
I don't care - I'll support it either way 8 % 13

Would you be willing in principle to pay for the saftey camera database from PGPSW?
Votes
YES : If Charging was introduced I WOULD continue to collect and submit data 6 % 6
YES : If Charging was introduced I MAY continue to collect and submit data 4 % 4
YES : If Charging was introduced I WOULD NOT continue to collect and submit data 6 % 6
NO : I would STOP using the database and get information elsewhere 35 % 34
NO : I would use the last version available and live with it as is 48 % 47
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ringostarr
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Border_Collie wrote:
All I can think of, after reading EVERY response, is maybe go down similar lines to FriendsReunited. You can read through most of their site for free but other parts you pay for, if you wish.

So if this site started charging an annual membership fee of somewhere between £5 and £10 per year for those wishing to have access to the camera database, I don't think that would be unreasonable.

I can understand contributers to the database being irate but I've noticed a number of people voicing their opinions, quite strongly, when all they have done is just make use the free camera database.

Is this the beginning of the end? I hope not.


Border_Collie you couldn't be shaking the wrong end of the stick harder !!!

I admit that I myself have only ever downloaded the database but as i mentioned in an earlier posting to this discussion i WAS going to upload data when i came across this thread. It was THIS thread that stopped me.

As for charging for use of the section which holds the database that is JUST THE SAME as charging for the database so IT IS NOT AN OPTION !!!!!
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stuw
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Joined: Jul 03, 2004
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Location: Marton in Cleveland

PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have just spent the last 40mins reading through this topic.

I joined this site when i first bought a PDA with TomTom3, and was given free advice by a number of users on how to set up the device. I do not contribute but I do read the Forums.

I have the Speed Camera database loaded and my view is that as a free database it is good, but does have lots of mistakes.

The issue to me is that the data has been provided free for the use of all, and it is an insult to all of those that contribute to then ask them to pay to use there information freely given.

I live in the North East of England and I read the police web sites for changes to camera location in my area where most of my driving is done. The changes a extremenly rare, so I would not be downloading each month as £2 is not worth it for the majority of my travelling is local. I would only download if I was travelling any distance from my home, not a regular occurance.

As I said I read the forums and have been impressed by the willingness of people to help, and I must admit I am disturbed by the biterness (justified in my view) this has created. I think a backtrack is required and the cost issue sent to the rubbish bin.
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SouthHams
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surely the problem here is that no one likes to asked to pay for something that they feel they own,

What PGPSW must do is add some value of their own to the database, It should be made easier to use;

1 It should have auto-update capabilities for PC or handheld

2 The data should be accurate and up to date. Why not advertise for area contributors to check the data? I noted that one correspondent informed PGPSW of new cameras but they weren't added because they checked against a very old Police database.

3 Get rid of all of the silly headers that make the cameras difficult to read on the TomTom Go

4 Provide integrated voice indications of cameras

I'm sure other more experienced users could add to the list.

If you do decide to charge offer an annual and lifetime subscription it does wonders for the cash flow
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SouthHams
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh.................. and of course

DON'T CHARGE UNTIL YOU HAVE ADDED THE VALUE
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metroace
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SouthHams wrote:

3 Get rid of all of the silly headers that make the cameras difficult to read on the TomTom Go


And it should be done for the benefit of TomTom users for what reason?
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icsys
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Joined: Feb 20, 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having read this entire thread I have a few comments...

Ash10 wrote:

Bandwidth:

The database currently contains an absurd amount of redundant data.

For example, the current database is 1.68Mb, but as a Garmin user I only need the CSV files - which is a mere 256Kb.

Bandwidth requirements could be decimated by partitioning the database into sections - CSV files for Garmin, OV2 files for TomTom, and so on.

Also I'm sure that there's quite a few people who would be delighted to host a mirror of the database for you.

I made a suggestion along these lines several months ago but users said they would rather download the whole zip file then extract the files they required. A waste of bandwidth in my opinion, but the administrators went with the majority.

craiga wrote:

I think the site is fantastic & the database is great. I've just had my Navman for 3 weeks. In Navman's blurb they talk about your site & the free database & POI's, effectively using your site to sell their products. They also link from the Navman site to yours.
They should be approached about sharing some of the costs.
I don't have a problem with a one off charge & would prefer that to messing about with cards every month.

Not a bad suggestion but the files should at least be directly compatible with the Navman devices rather than have to be 'tweaked' before use.

jblackmore wrote:

Given the recent news that the goverment will be restricting or blocking new camera sites, reducing the value of monthly updates, it seems a bad time to announce the camera database will now become chargable monthly service.

That's another fair point. If, as the government suggest, there will be no new cameras then there will be little information to update each month making a monthly update unnecessary.

bowler wrote:

I think its a shame that it has come to this but site/bandwidth costs will be high with this site becoming more popular by the day and costs dont go down.

What exactly is the bandwidh usage for the 'database'??
I currently have 30 GB bandwidth per month which costs £349 per year. Does this site currently exceed such usage?

All this talk of a database.
Am I missing something here?? Isn't this 'database' simply a list of co-ordinates zipped into a file of various file formats (asc, ov2, xls, csv, etc...)???

If charging for the database is inevitable then the format for each sat nav system needs to be addressed. There are more systems than just TomTom out there.
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tomtomgo
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a thought, Now that PGPSW are planning to charge for something that TOMTOM also charge for, does it give TOMTOM more leverage to lock there units or invalidate the warranty of any unit with Third Party apps.
Personally i can't believe TomTom havent tried this route already, or now that they have a firm foothold is this the new year whammy.
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JonnyW
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SouthHams wrote:
2 The data should be accurate and up to date. Why not advertise for area contributors to check the data? I noted that one correspondent informed PGPSW of new cameras but they weren't added because they checked against a very old Police database.


This is my point regarding the databases data integrity and accuracy.

I have emailed cameras into PGPSW and they have been added ready for the next database release. However, this is because they were present for a number of years. However, the cameras are removed in the blink of an eye. This is what is making the entire database untrustworthy and unreliable. Why would anyone pay for this?

The idea of an area contributor is an excellent idea. Somebody who can be trusted to check the camera positions and report their TRUE status. I.e. Still present or removed.

This will stop people (and I am convinced it is the Safety Camera Partnership or the Police) from removing the cameras like the revenue collectors on the A1 in the North East.

All Safety Camera Partnership vans carry GPS equipment on board to verify their positions incase of disputes. See this article on GreedCameras.co.uk (http://greedcameras.blogspot.com/2005/09/scamera-van-questions-answered-by.html)

These vans are also responsible for repairing, upgrading and maintaining all Gatso FIP's and they simply need to email the GPS positions in to have them removed - making the database unreliable not feasable for PGPSW to levy a charge for the data in these files.

PGPSW should be careful as it is this which will put people off using the database and indeed the site.
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SouthHams
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

metroace wrote:
SouthHams wrote:

3 Get rid of all of the silly headers that make the cameras difficult to read on the TomTom Go


And it should be done for the benefit of TomTom users for what reason?


They probably affect other systems as well but I only have a TomTom
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enanjay
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Border collie wrote

[All I can think of, after reading EVERY response, is maybe go down similar lines to FriendsReunited]


Have F. R. not just sold out to ITV? and wasn't Ebay just a good idea dreamed up by a few people who thought it would nice to sell things cheaply on the net? look how much money they make nowadays out of other peoples property!

my view is that I read the forums I am interested in nearly every day and I download every new d/base but not because it is a necessity. i would not want to pay £20 upfront for something I may not want but I might be tempted to pay £5 - 10 a year to read the forums 365 times with free access to the d/base if I need it. that way you get the money to run the site off every member.[/quote]
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metroace
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SouthHams wrote:
They probably affect other systems as well but I only have a TomTom


Well I don't notice anything in the database that impedes the POI performance of ViaMichelin ...
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