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How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

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Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#121

Post by seren »

golfer wrote: post #39
another-cuppa wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google does not have the best base map info. OSM may well be the best global base map, actually. Google's advantage is their applications that use the data.

Citation please? What do base your statement of fact on?

OSM is generally richer in term of what can be documented. For example, you can describe a bench, how many seat it has, what color is it, is it in metal, wood or stone, and so on. This is not necessarily displayed on osm.org, but could be on a more specialized app using osm dataset.

For example compare the two following areas :

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=17/41.88846/12.49110

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8884227,12.4916715,17.54z

Google Maps is lacking some details inside the park, you don't have any path, fence, grass, water tap, bench or bin.

The issue for OSM is that some less popular areas are totally barren.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#122

Post by voltagex_ »

voltagex_ wrote: post #108
femto wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This actually does work. I went though a phase of keen mapping and entered detailed information for my local area, especially for things off road. (Triggered by OSM becoming rubbish when the license changed most of the Australian data was removed.) Consequently for the last 6 years OSM is my fist stop for anything to do with my local area. Hopefully others have seen a benefit too. It's always interesting to see where…

Wait, what happened to Australian data?

For anyone else wondering: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Australia#OI... and https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Licence/Historic/We_Are_...

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#123

Post by baddox »

kqr wrote: post #98
freddie_mercury wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just another reply saying "OSM is completely useless where I live". If I enter my street address into Google Maps, it shows my house. If I enter it into OSM it says "No results found" and can't even figure out what country or city I am in.

At least you were given the chance of improving it. You declined to do so, but that's your decision. In a similar situation with Google Maps, you wouldn't even have been given the opportunity.

That’s not an extremely compelling argument. I could host a web-based persistent infinite bitmap canvas where anyone can draw anything they want, and that would still be a much worse map than Google Maps despite the fact that the friction to contribute is as low as it could be.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#124

Post by mwexler »

Maps are not just roads. POIS, transit rails, pedi paths all play a role,esp in cities. And OSM does well with path data but it's POI data is disappointing compared to Google. Transit stations are in the data but no info about what lines serve them. For eateries or stores, hours, menu focus, parking data is often part of Google POIs but is missing from OSM.

All great reasons this data is not present, but that does limit OSM usage in a wide group of cases.

The data that is present, however, is wonderful.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#125

Post by TulliusCicero »

kqr wrote: post #98
freddie_mercury wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just another reply saying "OSM is completely useless where I live". If I enter my street address into Google Maps, it shows my house. If I enter it into OSM it says "No results found" and can't even figure out what country or city I am in.

At least you were given the chance of improving it. You declined to do so, but that's your decision. In a similar situation with Google Maps, you wouldn't even have been given the opportunity.

> You declined to do so, but that's your decision.

This kind of patronizing attitude is unnecessary and silly. The vast majority of users of any software product are only interested in being just that: users. And that's totally okay. No need for passive-aggressive shaming.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#126

Post by TulliusCicero »

m_eiman wrote: post #106
Avamander wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Especially navigation. Google can plan my trip from start to end, perfectly. There's not a single OSM-based thing that comes even close.

Galileo works pretty well for me, pathfinding and all. https://galileo-app.com/

The alternatives suggested in this thread are all like: oh, X does A, Y does B, Z does C, etc.

But people mostly don't want three or four different mapping apps to cover their use cases. Having it in one app is a better user experience.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#127

Post by kqr »

seren wrote: post #121
golfer wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Citation please? What do base your statement of fact on?

OSM is generally richer in term of what can be documented. For example, you can describe a bench, how many seat it has, what color is it, is it in metal, wood or stone, and so on. This is not necessarily displayed on osm.org, but could be on a more specialized app using osm dataset. For example compare the two following areas : https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=17/41.88846/12.49110 https://www.google.com/maps/@41.88…

Also note that the osm.org bitmap tiles do not, in general, contain all information OSM has about an area. Things like future roads, hedges, etc. may not be shown.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#128

Post by fireattack »

Freak_NL wrote: post #117
fireattack wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My problem with OSM, besides the lack of satellite layer, is that it doesn't seem to offer any (detailed) info of landmarks - just the name, sometimes not even that: for example, some churches are just marked with a cross.

If a church has its own Wikipedia lemma you can tag it. Most cathedrals have those. An image can be linked to, and of course the church website can be tagged as well. For example: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/4532022 But in areas with fewer mappers tagging will be limited: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/390264609 It all depends on the local mappers adding and validating data.

How do you even get to this info page? I mean the "way" one.

I tried to click/double-click the text "Kölner Dom" (which is how it works on GMaps) on https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/50.94132/6.95838 but it doesn't show anything.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#129

Post by andygates »

mwexler wrote: post #124

Maps are not just roads. POIS, transit rails, pedi paths all play a role,esp in cities. And OSM does well with path data but it's POI data is disappointing compared to Google. Transit stations are in the data but no info about what lines serve them. For eateries or stores, hours, menu focus, parking data is often part of Google POIs but is missing from OSM. All great reasons this data is not present, but that does li…

One of the challenges there is POI freshness. A paying advertiser is going to be timely across the Googleverse.

Re: How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Are Contributing to OpenStreetMap

#130

Post by Freak_NL »

fireattack wrote: post #128
Freak_NL wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If a church has its own Wikipedia lemma you can tag it. Most cathedrals have those. An image can be linked to, and of course the church website can be tagged as well. For example: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/4532022 But in areas with fewer mappers tagging will be limited: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/390264609 It all depends on the local mappers adding and validating data.

How do you even get to this info page? I mean the "way" one. I tried to click/double-click the text "Kölner Dom" (which is how it works on GMaps) on https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/50.94132/6.95838 but it doesn't show anything.

On https://www.openstreetmap.org you mean?

By using the 'query features' tool on the right (the pointer with the question mark), and then picking the object you want from the list of objects in that area.

Other viewers of OSM data (like smartphone apps) can have different (sometimes easier) means of accessing that data. OSM is a database intended for use with many clients; https://www.openstreetmap.org is just one.

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