Question for that longer post on the practicalities: would freeing the PAF have implications for Ordnance Survey? It has a product called AddressBase which mixes the PAF with other datasets to let customers locate properties on a map.
I ask because Ordnance Survey is the rare example of a government agency that is profitable, so anything that interferes with that will be met with strong resistance in Whitehall
Agree it could face some internal resistance - I guess the argument we’re making it is worth eating the extra costs (which would be low double-digit millions, as is my understanding, so pennies in government terms), for the innovation and productivity it could make possible.
This is a good lesson in how to make a difference - talk about something nobody else is talking about.
(And I know you're being self-deprecating when you observe that other people have been doing the hard work on the technical side. We need both sorts of people for progress, the problem solvers and the communicators, and "tweeting annoyingly" is no less important - there's no point having a brilliant idea if nobody listens to you.)
This is how I imagine football fans feel when their team gets promoted, well done!
Love to hear more about the practicalities of Freeing the PAF!
Good work!
Question for that longer post on the practicalities: would freeing the PAF have implications for Ordnance Survey? It has a product called AddressBase which mixes the PAF with other datasets to let customers locate properties on a map.
I ask because Ordnance Survey is the rare example of a government agency that is profitable, so anything that interferes with that will be met with strong resistance in Whitehall
I’m not an expert (I’m basically a glorified mascot), but I think the answer is basically “maybe”.
Strongly recommend Owen Boswarva’s post on some of the practicalities about the potential ‘ask’ could/would include OS data, including AddressBase:
https://www.owenboswarva.com/blog/post-addr4.htm
Agree it could face some internal resistance - I guess the argument we’re making it is worth eating the extra costs (which would be low double-digit millions, as is my understanding, so pennies in government terms), for the innovation and productivity it could make possible.
I straight up loved this James.
This is a good lesson in how to make a difference - talk about something nobody else is talking about.
(And I know you're being self-deprecating when you observe that other people have been doing the hard work on the technical side. We need both sorts of people for progress, the problem solvers and the communicators, and "tweeting annoyingly" is no less important - there's no point having a brilliant idea if nobody listens to you.)