For the convenient use of the gps application I'd be glad to have complete map data CD's on the hard disc to recalculate routes automatically in case of traffic jams and the like - in Germany we already receive traffic information electronically - and to define routes without internet access.

So the question would be which CD's to use. They should be available for different countries and need to be up to date (updated periodically!). That's what I don't see for any free map data as updating is hell a lot of work to do and needs to be financed. In any case we will have to pay for useable map data! So only commercial products remain suitable - but they should at least follow open specifications.

GDF is in fact not a proprietary format but an open specifiaction used not only by Teleatlas (see http://www.ertico.com/links/gdf/gdf.htm). Teleatlas is just a commercial provider of map data according to the open GDF specification - and in my view the best provider in the world today. The GDF format is used by almost all of the commercial navigation systems and is already installed in thousands and millions of cars. So map data updates for the long future are guaranteed and the map data format is not likely to change (as already installed systems need updates in the actual format).

So I see no real alternative for GDF is we want to have useable map data.

Juergen

(BTW: I'm not paid by Teleatlas)