Speed Camera Database to Turn Professional

Dissapointed · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 28, 2005 Posts: 3

I have used and contributed to the database for some time, though it is true to say that I have never contributed to the forums.

I was told that the database will always be free.

I added data to that database on that understanding.

Now you want to charge me for it. Have I been conned ?

I reckon so !

There are other FREE databases out there, and that is where I will go.

Bye

Dissapointed · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 28, 2005 Posts: 3

Here's one I used before : http://poiplace.oabsoftware.nl/

FREE !

And it says "More than 178500 people make use of POIplace"

So, if PGPSWORLD has a similar number of users (I suspect many more) and each user only downloads once per year, that's £357,000 per year !

Rank profiteering from your contributors who built the database for you !

missing_user · Joined: Aug 30, 2008 Posts: -7

Tim Buxton · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:10 pm Post subject:

Strumble, you've been offered (what I hope is) a temporary workaround. Please, instead of going on abot how the server time is incorrect, use it. Pretty please.

Edited by Tim to include the fact that this thread isn't the place for such information, either.
_________________
Tim

bighassan · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Posts: 12

What's wrong with PayPal for making small payments? A lot of people seem to look at it with great suspicion, but it is so easy to register and use. I wouldn't be without it! :D

alistairwat50n · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:10 pm Post subject: POI database charges

After reading many of the relevant comments in this thread my own conclusion is that the managers of Pocket GPS World have misjudged their relationship with the wider world of users.

Transparency is the key to a successful conclusion.

It would be reasonable to expect the managers to explain what they need from this exercise in order to keep this excellent community in happy good health. No one expects people to work for nothing, nor do mutual communities like the idea of becoming a profit base.

I believe the proposal of a poll of registered members will help us all understand the strength of feeling. The first step is to decide on the question(s) to be answered.

A preamble to a poll should be written by the managers to explain in monetary terms what they have & what they need & why. On the basis that some kind of profit after costs needs to be achieved we should be told what the costs are and how any profit will be applied for the good of the community.

If charging for the POI database does go ahead there must be a choice of payment plans.

I do not think that anyone should subscribe to the idea that opposition to unexplained change will go away with time. It’s more likely the community will dilute to everyones disadvantage.

leemcg · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 03, 2005 Posts: 4

I've been following the thread since the beginning with interest.

For the record, I've rarely contributed to the forum and haven't sent in any cameras (I really wanted to - I tried driving up and down the A12, M11, A13 and A406, where I live where there a lot of cameras, but I found that it took about 2 seconds to register a camera using ScaredyCats add-in, and I couldn't be very accurate. Stopping on the Dual Carriageway didn't seem to be an option).

Anyway rather than rehashing previous points there is just one that has been touched on that I'd like to offer my view, and that is quality.

Like many here I feel I need this optional extra to my TomTom and can probably afford the cost. What I care about is the quality of the data. I can definitely understand those who feel duped by the change in the status and under what circumstances they contributed data, but I feel my concerns would hold true even if PGPSW started from scratch.

When my dad phoned me a couple of months ago having bought a TomTom Go 300 and wanting speed cameras on it, I sent him to this site (the ease for a non-techie like him to install caused me many painful phone calls, something that would probably need to be fixed for a commercial product, but that's another story).

The reason I told him to come to this site is that I genuinely believed that the multi contributor model leads to better quality data. That TomTom's database is always going to be worse because you can't ever have enough people on the road looking for cameras.

If the argument is that the new permanent hire to PGPSW will somehow be better at getting camera locations than a team of volunteers, it seems unconvincing to me. And ultimately we must compare with other commerical offerings now. I assume that TomTom (or a company they subcontract to) will also have people on the roads looking for cameras, why should I imagine PGPSW camera spotters to be better?

Unfortunately, I can't see as many people contributing cameras in the new regime and I just can't see the difference going forward between PGPSW and TomTom's model, except that the PGPSW database will be cheaper and harder to install.

'tis a sad day.

pushandpull · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:28 pm Post subject:

1. Have all the moaners on this site any idea of the amount of time and effort Mike Barrett and co. put into organising and maintaining the camera database - all completely voluntarily? Would any of them be prepared to give up all their free time to do the same?

2. I forsaw the inevitablility of charging or for such an enterprise a long time ago. Such a massive undertaking as it has become needs to be run full-time.

3. I own a TTG Classic, a Garmin i3 and a Garmin Nuvi300 (my favourite) and use the PocketGPS cameras on all of them. When I first bought the TTG I made the mistake of buying the TTG camera database only to find it's nowhere near as accurate/comprehensive as the PocketGPS one! - and it's bl**dy expensive.

4. Around £24 a year or a £60 fine and penalty points on your licence. Surely there's no doubt which you need. I am not a "speedster" but there are occasions when one can exceed the limit without being aware of it so the camera database is a necessity.

5. There are no other options. This is not a case of PocketGPS having us by the 'short and curlies' but is down to their innovation, devotion, expertise and willingness to provide such a service for our benefit (which nobody else is prepared to undertake) and I for one pray that they will continue to maintain the service to its' present high standard, even if it has to be paid for.

6. Like it or lump the database is going to be a paid-for service so let's stop moaning about it which will achieve nothing and instead talk about what we consider would be a fair payment and the method(s) of payment.

7. My personal opinion? - No objection to a charge BUT (a) would much prefer a two-tier option of either £2 per download OR an annual charge of £20. (b) Would prefer payment by Credit card instead of Debit card as you have no protection from the card agency with a Debit card should it get compromised.
.

wibblemonster · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 19, 2005 Posts: 31

Sallet · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 11, 2004 Posts: 46

Napoleon was right, Britain is turning into a nation of shopkeepers! If the likes of politically correct PushandPull have their way, no one would dare contradict their way of thinking and there would be no point in having DISCUSSION groups! Perhaps he feels we should be charging to help old ladies off buses also to ensure fair play!?

Anyway, enough frivolity, I think there are all sorts of issues about charged databases. Who pays when you get flashed by a camera not on the database? What guarantee is there of any of the data on the database? And what about malicious addition or removal of cameras by disgruntled ex forum members? There may be liability issues for the PGPSW to face in some circumstances (corporate liability?).

I can see why it may seem a nice idea to have a full time person working on the project but I think the damage that has and will be done by the suggestion of charging has seen the the beginning of the end for this site.

I hope I am wrong and, as this is a DISCUSSION group, feel free to shoot my ideas down in flames! Dont be put off by the PC people who feel you cant be free to express your view, dont be put off by name calling (whinger, moaner etc). It is your money they are trying to fleece you for, say what you think!

wibblemonster · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 19, 2005 Posts: 31

technik · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:52 pm Post subject:

jeff2458 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 05, 2005 Posts: 1

sacd · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 01, 2005 Posts: 43

sirusman · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2005 Posts: 20

I hope the people behind this greed reap what they sow...............i feel sure they will fail in there quest for money and lack of morals

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