[matthewmacleod]

Please don't spread this kind of FUD – even the article you linked to is much more measured. It's pretty silly to imply that there was any corporate action on behalf of Google aimed at vandalising OSM at the same time as the were sponsoring their annual conference.

[schoen]

I agree with your criticism, but I don't think sponsoring a conference is definitive proof of good will or alignment of interests. Some of the companies that sponsor Linux and FOSS conferences also take actions, for example in court, that are against the interests of those communities.

Edit: I'm reminded of Thomas Schelling's notion of "incomplete antagonism" :-)

[Doctor_Fegg]

FWIW, I believe SOTM sponsorship came from Google's Open Source office rather than from Maps.