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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?

#51

Post by mtmail »

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…

https://maps.me/download/ (free for iOS and Android) let's you download countries for offline use. Includes search and car navigation. Based on OpenStreetMap data.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#52

Post by Marsymars »

Nux wrote: post #36
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.

> Probably the best UX of any map apps

Except for the ads, which I consider to be pretty terrible UX compared to not having any ads.

I'd be willing to pay to avoid any ads in HERE Maps.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#53

Post by 1996 »

mgkimsal wrote: post #45
chucksmash wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps also offers offline maps.

came here to say that. it was a pleasant surprise in january of this year - had little internet connection while exploring a small island (got off a cruise ship). Found google maps had an 'offline mode', so I just downloaded the maps for the island and was good to go. Wasn't until April that maps notified me that the data was expiring and would be deleted.

If I am lost on an island, the last thing I want is google to decide by itself that my data is too old and my expired maps should be deleted for my own good.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#54

Post by ghaff »

I generally favor Google Maps for the things they care about--like major roads, directions, etc. But, while not perfect, I find OSM is far more likely to have things like hiking trails and other types of features that are apparently not on Goggle's list of things it actually cares about.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#55

Post by jraph »

craftyguy wrote: post #30
makomk wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

> plus their business model of charging for access to map updates Not sure what you are talking about, but I am not prompted to pay for updates. In fact, I'm installing some updates and new maps right now. Even the 'live' feature works. I am using the f-droid version of the app though, so maybe that's the difference?

The version in f-droid provides anything free, which the version in google play does not.

This app is excellent. I'll probably donate. I would be totallly comfortable with doing this if they made their UI free, making osmand a completely free software.

I which I could use it on a regular computer, or if a web service provided something similar to what we get with osmand, the experience of its offline search included.

Next step would be mapillary providing a free app to contribute to their database or osmand providing a way to do it.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#56

Post by mtmail »

kekub wrote: post #46

OSM does not offer live traffic data, which makes it hard to use it for real life navigation. Does anyone know a project that takes care for this kind of data?

So far only proprietary and not shared. https://maps.me/download/ has it (not in the offline mode obviously), mapbox does. Collecting the data requires to have 1000s of users sending their position and speed and OpenStreetMaps usual target audience is rather tracking-averse.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#57

Post by criley2 »

wtallis wrote: post #40
dev_dull wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Google makes it trivial to download maps for offline use, I have multiple states downloaded in Maps.

Google Maps experience with offline downloaded maps is 100% quality and absolutely not "sub-par" or "frustrating".

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#58

Post by ghaff »

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.

I'm not sure why it has to be either/or. I use Google Maps routinely for traffic routing among other things. I also routinely use OSM to have offline maps when traveling, for hiking, and various other things.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#59

Post by sorenjan »

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…

I use Maps.me, it's OSM based offline maps. Pretty often they're better than Google maps when I just want to look at a map and see different paths and so on, I rarely use Google maps to look up businesses, which seems to be their main focus. And it's a great security to always have maps available regardless of network connectivity.

https://maps.me/download/

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#60

Post by ghaff »

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…

Somewhat similar. I have a multiple generations old iPhone in a waterproof Otterbox case and I mostly use it for various GPS and mapping apps. I do have to remember to keep it charged--its battery life isn't what it was--but at a minimum, it's a useful backup to have.
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