The UK's Ordnance Survey, the government agency which uses taxpayers' funds to create incredibly detailed maps and then licenses them under prohibitive licensing terms and steep fees, seems to be thawing to open access to its data, and is experimenting with
a Google Maps-style JavaScript interface, to be named "OpenSpace". Note that if it is released, it will only be for noncommercial use, and the actual data itself won't be made public. I wonder how much this is a result of pressure from
OpenStreetMap and other guerilla mappers encroaching on its monopoly.