I think that while having all sectors mapped by default is stupid, that it would be very cool to have a personal record available of all the bots encountered at any sector you go to.

This would make a lot of sense, given that such a recording technique is trivial by today's standards, and indubitably easier in the far future.

It might be interesting to be able to sell all or portions of your record to other players(they'd be able to see what sectors you'd mapped, so someone couldn't just sell empty maps that they claimed were of every system), especially since this might create an incentive to explore.

Since just entering a sector is too simple, I was thinking the following limitations should apply:

First, you should have to actually have each bot type show up on your radar.

Second, map data should not be 'committed' to long term storage until you reach a station, so someone couldn't kamikaze their way to a full system map at 0/0/0/0.

I kind of like this idea. Right now there really seems to be no reason to explore whatsoever. (Unless I haven't been playing long enough, only 5 days). I thought it was kinda silly to open the map and it shows you what bots are where.

The listing of bots only works in your faction's space.

Once you're in another faction's space or grey space, you don't have any to know what's where except by asking or looking yourself, often with considerable risk involved.