companies providing POI files

Will they update their own site and locations?

Nice to see this happening though.

Another question is whether the companies are providing the actual coordinates or just using geocoders. Because geocoders are notoriously inaccurate.

If they want us to visit thier stores, they better be accurate.

I'm guessing they'll use the addresses that the stores have given and these are often postal addresses or do not properly apply the city name.

I can't see some corporate type going to the trouble of looking at the satellite maps and making sure they're at the right spot.

Miss POI may need to check in on this one. She is better versed on "copyright" and other data like this from outside sources.

Provided you let folks know that the link is external. It's when you copy the information to your site without prior written consent...

There is problems with some web sites.A Best Buy in Lancaster PA has coordinates for a location in Kansas.I notified them months ago about it.Last time I checked it had not been changed.

That doesn't sound good! Not even close!

dobs108

Here it is http://stores.bestbuy.com/1197/ .I wanted to go to a Best Buy while visting Amish country in Lancaster.It was not listed on the file on site I downloaded.So I had to look it up.When I put the coordinates in.It was a little bit more then around the corner.

The safe way to link is not to the direct file, but rather to the external page containing the link. Websites often don't like having their links directly copied, but adding the external web page as an intermediary is a nice safe option.

This is a link to the newest Best Buy store here in Tucson showing the photo, address and geo code coordinates. I checked and the geo code info is correct for that location.

http://stores.bestbuy.com/1143/

Direct link to store photo showing snow in Tucson:

http://origin-stores.bestbuy.com/wp-content/store-images/bes...

What really cracks me up is that the photo actually is a real photo of the actual store but if you notice there is both snow and clouds on the mountains behind the store. Take it from me that is not a common site and I was amazed that they managed to take the photo at that time.

Did you check the file that is up on poi-factory?

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/3445

In my post above that was the reason I had to serach for it.Not on the site file that I have had for some time.Notified the author of the file.As you can see some time since that file has been updated.