There has been discussion about how GIS will impact industry applications for years. But what technologies might impact GIS users and vendors? How are GIS companies being "disrupted" by other technologies?

In July a magazine called CIO Review published its 20 Most Promising GIS Solution Providers 2014. We’ll tell you who they selected, but more importantly, we’ll tell you why you should be aware of some of the lesser known companies on the list.

Can you use a map created by the New York Times or USA Today? Can you use data created by a local government? Our editors look at copyright, fair use, creative commons and other licenses used for maps and data.