Map Wiki Plots New Route
OpenStreetMap, a sort of Wikipedia of online maps assembled with contributions from thousands of globe-trotting volunteers, has gotten the attention of two big Internet players: Microsoft Corp. and AOL Inc.
The companies recently invested money and contributed aerial imagery to help OpenStreetMap forge new ground. They see the project as a potential alternative or complement to expensive digital maps built by commercial vendors like Nokia Corp.’s Navteq and TomTom International BV’s Tele Atlas, which license data to Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc. for all or parts of their online maps.
