Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#101

Post by CommanderData » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:14 PM UTC

I developed a Maps centric app recently I realized all the things mentioned in this article and made a comment recently on HN related to Apple maps about this.

Popular times (Maps) in Google Maps is incredibly useful and a good example, requests to expose this data are ignored. Some may argue Google has a right to therefore it should. The data is gathered in numerous ways, perhaps unsuspecting mobile users is one which method is used to.

I want more competition, I don't think a flood of Maps providers is a good thing either. A single source of really good data is what is needed. Perhaps OSM can be that, or perhaps smaller Map providers can provide data to an open standard for which OSM can use through some type of exchange license.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#102

Post by Qwertie » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:14 PM UTC

maxxxxx wrote: post #32

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.

Absolutely. Search is pretty abysmal in many of the OSM apps. I did a bunch of editing for OSM a while ago and I went to search one of the things I had added and it didn't come up because I had searched "office works" instead of how it was entered in OSM "officeworks".

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#103

Post by cup-of-tea » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:15 PM UTC

I just finished a week long drive and "wild" camping trip in Scotland. I have Maps.me and Osmand on my phone and it was excellent. Helped me find all kinds of things that aren't on any other maps. The best thing is, as a mapper myself, I know the people who mapped it are people like me, rather than people doing their job or trying to make money. It also makes me think someone has probably appreciated my mapping at some point.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#104

Post by Qwertie » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:16 PM UTC

alexandernst wrote: post #7

I always wondered who actually pays for the bills in OSM? Who pays all the servers, all the traffic, etc...?

The main OSM org doesn't actually host any of the servers that end users use. They host a website for editors to contribute and publish data dumps. Devs providing access to OSM download the data dumps and host it on their own servers.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#105

Post by Qwertie » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:17 PM UTC

jnurmine wrote: post #79

OSM is supreme when it comes to paths, trails and other such details (like wind shelters). Google Maps seems to be devoid of these.

Absolutely, I use OSM all the time for walking paths and mountain bike trails because the coverage of them is perfect. Google maps seems to fall short where there isn't a lot of money to be made.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#106

Post by fencepost » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:25 PM UTC

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.

What got me to stop using Here on Android was that when I chose a contact or other address and selected Google Maps to launch it took me to the location. When I chose Here maps it took me to my current location - if I wanted to use that address I'd clicked, I could go copy and paste it.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#107

Post by UncleEntity » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:25 PM UTC

brewrwe wrote: post #71

propogandist wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

by trivial, you mean logged into a google account where all 'offline' activity is synced and mapped to your account once connectivity is restored. I also find it hard to believe that Google maps offline can't give voice navigation (reverts to beeps) and that requires constant data connectivity... the app is constantly phoning home too.

Google Maps is pretty bad without fast, reliable data, I remember trying it on Sprint, no joy unless I could pull at least a megabit a second.

I have used it all day, every day I that I've worked in the last seven years on Sprint and very rarely have a problem.

One strange thing I've noticed over the years is there's a difference on Android vs Apple -- can't count the times I've gone to the wrong place following the Android tablet in the car only to have to pull up the address on the iPhone to get there. When they first put the tablets in the cars I was using the navigation and it took me into the alley between the houses and "you have arrived"...in their backyard. Not very helpful.

Honestly, though, I rarely use navigation unless I'm feeling really lazy or going somewhere complicated enough that I can't figure out how to get there by just glancing at the map. 100% don't use navigation on the stupid tablet in the car.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#108

Post by mmirate » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:28 PM UTC

So roads are great and all, but the info I really care about is what's on them. I know all of my possible commute routes like the back of my hand, and couldn't care less about which data source is more accurate for them. What I don't know is which one is the fastest to use right now given current traffic conditions. As far as I know, OSM alone doesn't collect or store such ephemeral data.

(Please remember: driving, like all practical and modern travel modes, is the art of getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I don't get paid to sit in a goddamn parking lot that calls itself a "highway", nor to sit in the other parking lot that calls itself a "two-lane rural road", nor to superspeed through an overly non-straight two-lane rural road while the other roads are actually performing as advertised.)

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#109

Post by whatsstolat » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:28 PM UTC

marcosdumay wrote: post #76

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.

Working without a network is niche now? Anywhere you go far from a city will lack a network.

Also Here was useful to me when I burned up my data allowance.

Re: Why Use OpenStreetMap Instead of Google Maps?

#110

Post by hellojason » Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 11:29 PM UTC

qznc wrote: post #84

hellojason wrote: post #74

what if they decide to draw the border between countries wherever they want This seems a bit tin foil hat to me. Has Google been caught doing something like this before with malicious intent?

I would not call it "malicious intent" but for example the borders of Tibet are very controversial: https://qz.com/224821/see-how-borders-change-on-google-maps-...

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the link.