Did MalFreeMaps Mappers copied Jerome Wee Singapore Maps?

[chinwy]

The way I see it going, there is lack of transparency when claims are made hence creating all the cat and mouse game. Unless there is no intention to make any resolution and just mud sling.

[norwadi]

Maybe some of us contribute tracks to the both forum. That portion must be exact the same. So who copy whom now? It never end.

[antyong (retired)]

When a copyright is file in the copyright office, the data CAN NOT be pre-viewed by public before the filing date! Now that the data is public... it is public information, a claim cannot be file on the information. Also, where is the claim filed? Malaysia, Singapore...? Each has to have its own file numbers, and protected in that regoin only. Will cost quite a bit I would say for each submission. Any changes, new file must be lodge. Now you know why big boys cannot afford to give new updates by the week!

I think there is a misunderstanding between copyright and patent. You do not need to submit to copyright office for copyright to be effective but patent does. If you're the original author of the artwork, a mere copyright statement on your work is enough. In Jerome case, he has the copyright for his Sg map while OngCC and gang has the copyright on their Sg map as well. The claim now is OngCC's Sg map infringed on Jerome's Sg map based on examples given by Jerome. OngCC can dispute this claim by providing the original source of his work as proof of originality and the similarity is just a coincidence or OngCC can retrack and re-build the disputed map. Claims by some members that Jerome and OngCC does not own copyright of their map as they are based on raw data contributed by members are incorrect unless both of them cut and past the contribution directly into their map. In this case, the map was built based on raw data and not cut and paste. Merely releasing for use by the public does not diminish OngCC copyright of the map unless he explicitly remove his copyright claim. An analogy for this is 2 painters draw the same scenery and each claim copyright for their work. The public cannot claim that their artworks are public domain since the scenary belong to nature and not the painters. So we cannot claim that Jerome does not own his copyright because the road was design by some Sg authority. The best thing to do now is to retrack and redraw the disputed area as proposed by bro antyong in the beginning of this thread.

I am in agreement with bro kaybee. Hence I had said from to start, even to Jerome although he preferred not to tell everybody, that MFM will always entertain his claims and remap any area which is identical.

The problem we are facing is that:
1. Jerome keep insisting our roads are copied from his map even though there are differences
2. Jerome made little effort to help resolve the situation. Merely telling people that he identifies his easter eggs on MFM map is not going to solve anything. Hence I agree with chinwy that there is no intention to resolve the claim

What bro Ong and I had done over the past week is to visually compare both maps again and redraw those are which we feel is identical. You will notice the major rivers and lakes already redrawn. At the meantime, thanks to bro Chuah's effort, MFM SG map is now having more polygons that are not on Jerome's donor map. Jerome will not be able to claim copying of these new polygons.

[JJ007]

I think there is a misunderstanding between copyright and patent. You do not need to submit to copyright office for copyright to be effective but patent does. If you're the original author of the artwork, a mere copyright statement on your work is enough. In Jerome case, he has the copyright for his Sg map while OngCC and gang has the copyright on their Sg map as well. The claim now is OngCC's Sg map infringed on Jerome's Sg map based on examples given by Jerome. OngCC can dispute this claim by providing the original source of his work as proof of originality and the similarity is just a coincidence or OngCC can retrack and re-build the disputed map. Claims by some members that Jerome and OngCC does not own copyright of their map as they are based on raw data contributed by members are incorrect unless both of them cut and past the contribution directly into their map. In this case, the map was built based on raw data and not cut and paste. Merely releasing for use by the public does not diminish OngCC copyright of the map unless he explicitly remove his copyright claim. An analogy for this is 2 painters draw the same scenery and each claim copyright for their work. The public cannot claim that their artworks are public domain since the scenary belong to nature and not the painters. So we cannot claim that Jerome does not own his copyright because the road was design by some Sg authority. The best thing to do now is to retrack and redraw the disputed area as proposed by bro antyong in the beginning of this thread.

thanks for enlightening me on the patent and copyright stuffs ...
as for the small link road .... , I have put some thanksgiving turkeys too, let's see ...

[mfm88]

I do understand the reason of placing easter eggs.

But for bros doing it, pls do it in a way that does not affect the usage of GPS .
Just for example, instead of intentionally mis-spell a road or POI with less or wrong letters, you might want to just add extras on it so that search is still possible.
This appeal is also to Jerome.

I have been using his donor's map,recently looked for a POI but unfound, after burning some fuel I found the place, the POI is actually in the map with 1 letter missing.
Losing faith If it is intentional
Also you dont even know whether to feedback or not !

Another thing, what Jerome has emphasized is Errors on his map appears in the map here which makes copying suspected

[fidodido]

Actually, after seeing the easter eggs pointed by Jerome, I am very heartached for paying for such a 'purposefully made to be faulty' map.
If the map is free or if the fee is nominal, I have nothing to say.
But...I do not want to pay for map that is purposefully made to be faulty and I am not informed.
$30 can buy me a lot of meals...

I do understand the reason of placing easter eggs.

But for bros doing it, pls do it in a way that does not affect the usage of GPS .
Just for example, instead of intentionally mis-spell a road or POI with less or wrong letters, you might want to just add extras on it so that search is still possible.
This appeal is also to Jerome.

I have been using his donor's map,recently looked for a POI but unfound, after burning some fuel I found the place, the POI is actually in the map with 1 letter missing.
Losing faith If it is intentional
Also you dont even know whether to feedback or not !

Another thing, what Jerome has emphasized is Errors on his map appears in the map here which makes copying suspected

[silverbeauty]

Actually, after seeing the easter eggs pointed by Jerome, I am very heartached for paying for such a 'purposefully made to be faulty' map.
If the map is free or if the fee is nominal, I have nothing to say.
But...I do not want to pay for map that is purposefully made to be faulty and I am not informed.
$30 can buy me a lot of meals...

Bro fidodido, don't be disappointed and sad.

Even commercial maps have these "intentional" flaws ... Garmin commercial maps also has it .. and remember the case of Singapore Land Authority ( SLA ) vs StreetDirectory.com ? In court, SLA proved that StreetDirectory copied their maps through these "flaws"

[fidodido]

Maps on Streetdirectory.com has been free...map by SLA also free...

(At this bad economy time, hard not to be sad...because I squeezed every bit out of me to get a reliable map at that time...thinking that paying for it, it should be reliable, it is worth my effort.)

Bro fidodido, don't be disappointed and sad.

Even commercial maps have these "intentional" flaws ... Garmin commercial maps also has it .. and remember the case of Singapore Land Authority ( SLA ) vs StreetDirectory.com ? In court, SLA proved that StreetDirectory copied their maps through these "flaws"

[SOSweet]

I do not want to pay for map that is purposefully made to be faulty and I am not informed.
$30 can buy me a lot of meals...

Bro, sucker born every day.
Take it as paying $30.00 for a traffic offen and learn a lesson from here.

[sotongkia]

Maps on Streetdirectory.com has been free...map by SLA also free...

(At this bad economy time, hard not to be sad...because I squeezed every bit out of me to get a reliable map at that time...thinking that paying for it, it should be reliable, it is worth my effort.)

Bro fidodido, don't be disappointed and sad.

Even commercial maps have these "intentional" flaws ... Garmin commercial maps also has it .. and remember the case of Singapore Land Authority ( SLA ) vs StreetDirectory.com ? In court, SLA proved that StreetDirectory copied their maps through these "flaws"

I think easter eggs are designed not to affect the usability of the maps..
Adding extra roads that are not connected, putting strange names, etc..
POIs that are misspelled are most probably just a mistake.