Ordance Survey maps to be free to download from 2010

I have been a great fan of online maps and GPS based devices, but the current price charged for digital online maps far outweighs their advantages for my usage.  This isn't anything to do with the maps themselves, but relates more to the current generation of GPS devices that have relatively small screens that ultimately limits the usefulness of the map.  It doesn't mean that an online map is totally useless, but it is difficult to justify the price of the OS maps which can run into hundreds of pounds.  Enter the OpenStreet Map projects that provides digital maps of the UK for free.  You can download them here.  The maps are pretty good and I find them usable for geocaching and have them loaded onto my Garmin 550 (see the review here).

But ideally, I would like to use the OS maps.  I am used to using them, having used the paper based ones for years, and it would be neat to have the same map on paper and in digital format. This article in the Guardian outlines changes to the access of digital OS maps potentially to come into force next year.  It looks promising for end users and businesses alike, but I wonder what effect it will have on their Ordance Survey's business model.  While it is good news for councils and businesses everywhere that use OS data, this sort of revenue cannot disappear without it having an impact somewhere.

I also hope this potential change in the access to OS maps will also help publishers.  One of my pet hates is the use of hand drawn maps in walking and cycling guide books.  While Wainwright added much value in his hand-drawn guides, I think the use of such "unique" maps in books just makes them more difficult to use in practice.