Image via CrunchBase
Now I am not privy to all the inner workings and details of JC Decaux‘s contract / agreement with Dublin City Council…
However …
Fusio, a web development company based in Dublin, released an iPhone application for the Dublin bike scheme. From all reviews I’ve heard of the app it was professional and very slick ie. it reflected well on the bike scheme and anyone involved with it. So I was more than a little taken aback when someone linked to this page on the Fusio site.
There’s more coverage in The Irish Times
The question you’d have to ask is, are JC Decaux for real? (to use the vernacular)
Update: Included link to Irish Times piece – I forgot earlier!
Update 2 – Another article in The Irish Times. This time they’re quoting TJ McIntyre. Seems that legally JC Decaux wouldn’t have grounds for a case…
Update 3 – Now it seems that JC Decaux are going to offer their own app, but it’s not clear if the functionality will be any different to the Fusio app or if it will be free or paid. Based on their “wonderful” handling of the situation with Fusion I wouldn’t hold my breath
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All the hype over this is ridiculous.
Fusio, while I applaud their app, wrote an app which read that they didn’t have permission to use. It wasn’t a published API, from what I can see they just read the map data from the site. I am sure they knew the chances they took when they wrote it. And
Its possible Dublin Bikes have an app in development themselves, why wouldn’t they block others when they own the data.
Some people have stated why didn’t they just make the app official, well they are probably tied by tendering requirements, as Dublin bikes is public and they could get sued if they just awarded the contract to someone.
It drives me nuts when everyone gets up on their high horse about people blocking apps which don’t own the content. Earlier in the year we contacted Hattrick about licensing Father Ted content for IPhone but they were not interested. Now an illegitimate app is up in the appstore making money. Whats the point in companies trying to play by the rules when others flaunt them.
If you decide to make an app that uses other peoples systems, you take you chances.
Fair enough comment Keith.
In this particular case, though, the entire rationale for the Dublin Bikes set-up was as payback to the people of Dublin for being allowed to erect those advertising silo yokes around the place.
Given that context, surely, it’s a little tight-fisted (or anal) to be coming down hard and heavy on someone else who points people to their use. Even if it does involve data that they “own” (ie data published on their website).
Isn’t there a difference between this case and the Father Ted one you outlined?
Keith
Surely there’s an obvious argument that this is for the public good!
Anyway, as Michel points out this is bad publicity for JC Decaux and, imho, a really ham fisted way for a supposed marketing organisation to go about things.
Fusio should be applauded for their efforts in trying to simplify and mobilise the information so it’s usable in a mobile format. It’s a free app with no-one charging for the work they did — no-one is profiting from their laudable efforts.
Ralph
Keith, I was under the impression that this iPhone app was available free of charge, no? Enough people were upset that Dublin City Council would do such a bizarre deal with JC Decaux as it is – giving away millions in advertising space for a few bikes. Now JCD are threatening people who are promoting their services. Besides… what the hell have JCD got to do with these bikes anyway? Don’t they belong to the people of Dublin City now?
I do recollect reading somewhere (but am open to correction) that Fusio has asked Dublin City Council for permission to build the App. They may not have been the correct people to authorise this, or possibly someone not qualified to give permission may have done so in this case?
There has also been speculation that JCD have an App in the works themselves that they intend to charge for ….. Nothing surprising there if this is true 🙁
But the IT article certainly makes for interesting reading, and Fusio have made waay more hay out of this, than if their App had been left where it was, without any of this controversy.
Yet another example of large corporates being uncomfortable with losing “control” in these new ways of engaging with customers….
Hi,
I think Keith makes a good point and there is a fine and legal line about data ownership. But I, like others commenting here, take issue with the spirit of JCD’s approach. This project is an attempt to make Dublin a greener and more pleasant place to live. I think the positive reaction which was palpable even from a cursory search on Google or Twitter about Dublin bikes has been marred by this incident. Yes there might have been issues with tenders and legalities but there are ways that JCD could have worked that out with Fusio that didn’t make the event into a spectator sport!
JCD took their sweet time getting those bikes on the streets, far longer than it took to get their advertising up there or to get in touch with Fusio! 🙂 The mind just boggles!