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Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

openstreetmap.org

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Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#31

Post by maxerickson »

makomk wrote: post #24
craftyguy wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On Android, Osmand works very well.

I've found it rather slow and temperamental, plus their business model of charging for access to map updates basically means that you have to pay them to use corrections you contribute to OSM.

They charge $9, which is basically just covering server resources.

I haven't done it in quite some time, but if that is overly burdensome, it is also possible to avoid needing access to their servers by building a map file yourself.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#32

Post by maxxxxx »

yosito wrote: post #8

Open Street Maps is great as a data source, but the front end client apps for using it are somewhat lacking. On my iPhone, I use Maps.me when I travel to Cuba and Google Maps almost everywhere else. If I was building an app, I'd definitely use OSM and probably Mapbox.

I think the weakest part of OSM apps is search. When I type in an address into Google it will most of the time find what I am looking for whereas in OSM apps I have to go through country, state, city, zip code and whatever. The maps themselves are excellent.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#33

Post by sbr464 »

I'm a big supporter of open mapping data and initiatives. I hope companies continue to contribute to the datasets, vs keeping higher quality data within silos.

I registered the domain thislocation.com a while back. Through some other work I'm doing, I'm hoping to release a platform and datasets that allow you to build/upload/download arbitrary metadata schemas that you can attach to a location (coordinate/POI etc).

The data will be freely available to other platforms, OSM compatible as much as possible. The goal is to pull up a location and there could be hundreds of interactive datasets about it specifically or nearby. Anything from a live audio recording of a space, to drone footage, lidar/radar captures.

The project started when capturing lidar & precision gps data recently, and not having an easy, agnostic platform to just upload and allow it to work easily. The goal is to understand common data patterns so the App will just consume where it can, or allow extension via custom schemas where needed. Everything now seems to be poorly design UI's, corporate desktop software, or if it is a modern online platform, it's too specific to a particular vertical.

I don't really feel like the layers/photos etc experience of google earth are really the best way to explore mapping data, as well as displaying thousands of markers. We are trying for different approaches based on the types of media.

A user can keep their data private, or share it publicly but it will be just like opening Google maps online, typing in an address etc, then toggling datasets in a modern, beautiful way that just works. hiding the map when needed, activating different pages when more appropriate. Everything defined in JSON Schema etc, no new standards or KML/XML, maybe compatible exports if needed.

Apologies for the long pitch, just wanted to share about this side project, and love for open mapping data.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#34

Post by sbr464 »

sbr464 wrote: post #33

I'm a big supporter of open mapping data and initiatives. I hope companies continue to contribute to the datasets, vs keeping higher quality data within silos. I registered the domain thislocation.com a while back. Through some other work I'm doing, I'm hoping to release a platform and datasets that allow you to build/upload/download arbitrary metadata schemas that you can attach to a location (coordinate/POI etc). T…

Another piece would be slowly filling out everything possible that could document a specific location, from the soil, asphalt type/quality, temperature, smell/sound, haze in the air, scientific measurements, video/drone/lidar. Until all checkboxes are completed/amassed.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#35

Post by pbhjpbhj »

timthorn wrote: post #6
tehabe wrote: post #4

What I would love to see in OpenStreetMaps are translated or transcripted place names. And since place names are extremely political, this should also be mentioned that a place has several names in different languages and cultures.

That exists. This blog post explains how to add Welsh names: http://cardiff.theodi.org/2018/02/23/mapio-eich-milltir-sgwa...

I don't really understand the approach to names which takes them and translates them: Pen-Y-Bont and Bridge-end are translations, but the name is one or the other. Transliteration seems fine to me, Caerdydd Cardiff, but we shouldn't say it's "name" in English is Diffcastle (or perhaps Taffcastle if you take an etymological approach).

/rant

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#36

Post by Nux »

1996 wrote: post #13

And if you can't use OSM, try Here maps. They are easy to download for offline use. Following the suggestion of friends, I have repurposed an old phone as a "travel phone" with maps of the whole world (or at least the parts I can download!) Not perfect, but when I catch a plane, I don't have to worry about local networks. Fun story: recently in Europe, Google Maps stuttered. Now and then, there was a networking issue…

+1 Here maps (it's the old Nokia maps, now under Daimler and others).

Probably the best UX of any map apps and some great sounding voices.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#38

Post by 0XAFFE »

shiburizu wrote: post #19

I just recently spent a few hours working with OSM and Nominatim as part of a project for my university, an event planning page for ActivityPub social media: http://fedevent.herokuapp.com/ OSM maps are quite detailed, perfectly serviceable...but Nominatim is not very good (at least in my experience?) I used https://github.com/perliedman/leaflet-control-geocoder to interact with Nominatim but entering something that c…

Did you have a look at overpass turbo[1]?

With this API a lot more is possible than with nominatim.

[1] http://overpass-turbo.eu/

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#39

Post by chucksmash »

1996 wrote: post #13

And if you can't use OSM, try Here maps. They are easy to download for offline use. Following the suggestion of friends, I have repurposed an old phone as a "travel phone" with maps of the whole world (or at least the parts I can download!) Not perfect, but when I catch a plane, I don't have to worry about local networks. Fun story: recently in Europe, Google Maps stuttered. Now and then, there was a networking issue…

Google Maps also offers offline maps.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#40

Post by wtallis »

dev_dull wrote: post #27
1996 wrote: post #13

And if you can't use OSM, try Here maps. They are easy to download for offline use. Following the suggestion of friends, I have repurposed an old phone as a "travel phone" with maps of the whole world (or at least the parts I can download!) Not perfect, but when I catch a plane, I don't have to worry about local networks. Fun story: recently in Europe, Google Maps stuttered. Now and then, there was a networking issue…

Your anecdote falls into the trap I see often when comparing OSS software vs proprietary. You’ve found a obscure, uncommon use case where OSM works better. However, the opposite needs to be true for adoption. OSM needs to work better for 80% of the use cases, not the other 20.

Are gaps in cell coverage really that obscure a use case? Sure, if you're only using the maps to route you around traffic jams in your home town, offline maps aren't going to offer you any benefit. But I think most users also want their maps to continue to be reliable when heading out of town on a road trip. Google has improved the behavior of their maps app when data connectivity is interrupted, but it's still a sub-par experience and quite frustrating.
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