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CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

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Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#21

Post by schubidubiduba »

snickerer wrote: post #16
diggernet wrote: post #5

Two things I would love to see in the FLOSS mapping ecosystem: 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. 2. A shared traffic data service. Any OSM map app could contribute to the same data, helping reduce Google's ad…

A huge usabilitiy step would be the operating systems (and apps) just supporting geo links. Geo links are from a RFC and are plain simple: geo:52.512974,13.420131 Clicking this link should open your chosen local map app at this position. But it does not, actively sabotaged by big map app players who want only links to their app.

I wish we had a system where companies are incentivized to enable interoperability

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#22

Post by mariusor »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #7
diggernet wrote: post #5

Two things I would love to see in the FLOSS mapping ecosystem: 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. 2. A shared traffic data service. Any OSM map app could contribute to the same data, helping reduce Google's ad…

> 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. Would an AT Protocol app or extension meet this need and requirements? By being stored in a PDS, the data can be permissioned, owned by the user, and easily migrated and/or…

As technologists I think we should all be wary of "when all you have is a hammer" fallacy a little bit more.

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#23

Post by toomuchtodo »

mariusor wrote: post #22
toomuchtodo wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. Would an AT Protocol app or extension meet this need and requirements? By being stored in a PDS, the data can be permissioned, owned by the user, and easily migrated and/or…

As technologists I think we should all be wary of "when all you have is a hammer" fallacy a little bit more.

I certainly support local first, but if it is trivial to enable sharing of map favorites and POIs on open social rails, your risk is limited to "personal to you" locations being shared. JSON or Sqlite is fine for local storage of course. It is after all most likely simply a list of POI UUIDs/GUIDs identifiers and/or latitude/longitude coordinates with attribute fields. Foursquare and other social geo checkins long predate this, but I would agree good opsec should be the default, while still enabling open sharing with your data prevented from being captured and held hostage by Big Tech, imho.

I have many custom Google Maps lists I would love to share publicly on AT Protocol (mostly from collecting places in locations I've traveled to others would want to visit), for example, but would want some labels of places to remain private (homes of friends).

Export Google Maps List to CSV, KML and GPX - https://www.takeout-tools.com/blog/export-google-maps-list-c...

How to Turn Any List Into Google My Maps - https://www.lekoarts.de/how-to-turn-any-list-into-google-my-...

Google Maps Create a list of places - https://support.google.com/maps/answer/7280933

Example list:

   Title,Address,Notes,Latitude,Longitude
   "Golden Gate Bridge","San Francisco, CA","",37.8199,-122.4783
   "Fisherman's Wharf","San Francisco, CA","Best chowder",37.8080,-122.4177

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#24

Post by ihatehn »

diggernet wrote: post #5

Two things I would love to see in the FLOSS mapping ecosystem: 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. 2. A shared traffic data service. Any OSM map app could contribute to the same data, helping reduce Google's ad…

#1 is a common request and possible future improvement, #2 is coming soon with TraffXML (taking in live traffic, not necessarily contributing it back)

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#25

Post by ihatehn »

HumblyTossed wrote: post #8
diggernet wrote: post #5

Two things I would love to see in the FLOSS mapping ecosystem: 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. 2. A shared traffic data service. Any OSM map app could contribute to the same data, helping reduce Google's ad…

Waze got hugely popular by gaming their maps; people would install it just to get a high score. I wish the FLOSS mapping ecosystem would do similar.

The problem with gamification is it implies tracking and moderation so it's often a thin "fun" veneer over pervasive corporate tracking/surveillance

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#26

Post by diggernet »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #23
mariusor wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As technologists I think we should all be wary of "when all you have is a hammer" fallacy a little bit more.

I certainly support local first, but if it is trivial to enable sharing of map favorites and POIs on open social rails, your risk is limited to "personal to you" locations being shared. JSON or Sqlite is fine for local storage of course. It is after all most likely simply a list of POI UUIDs/GUIDs identifiers and/or latitude/longitude coordinates with attribute fields. Foursquare and other social geo checkins long pr…

Yeah, there are all kinds of interesting things that can be done with shared data like this. But the first step is to have some standard ContentProvider to let apps share the data locally on a single device, similar to how other user data is handled. Because I'm tired of having several map apps installed for various reasons that all have separate favorites.

Once that is in place, people can create apps that build on it in lots of different ways.

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#27

Post by diggernet »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #20
diggernet wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it should be local-first. Private and offline by default. There could certainly be sync integrations using AT, Dropbox, iCloud, etc. Those could even be separate apps, using the same API to access the data. But that sort of thing should be secondary and optional.

Do you have any thoughts on data structure for local storage?

Not really. I imagine a sqlite db, but I haven't thought about any particular schema.

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#28

Post by diggernet »

ihatehn wrote: post #24
diggernet wrote: post #5

Two things I would love to see in the FLOSS mapping ecosystem: 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. 2. A shared traffic data service. Any OSM map app could contribute to the same data, helping reduce Google's ad…

#1 is a common request and possible future improvement, #2 is coming soon with TraffXML (taking in live traffic, not necessarily contributing it back)

Nice to learn about Traffxml, but that allows taking in traffic data from where? Seems like there would need to be some service consolidating traffic reports from users of various map apps.

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#29

Post by em-bee »

diggernet wrote: post #5

Two things I would love to see in the FLOSS mapping ecosystem: 1. A POI/favorites app that maintains a local database with an API for other apps to access it. Apps could then store markers there instead of in their own private db, so that points added on one map app can be instantly available in other apps. 2. A shared traffic data service. Any OSM map app could contribute to the same data, helping reduce Google's ad…

for 2: https://opentrafficmap.org/

it works by collecting C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport System) data, which many vehicles now send out.

https://wiki.opentrafficmap.org/en:c-its:start

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_transportation_sys...

Re: CoMaps integration with the wider FLOSS ecosystem

#30

Post by ihatehn »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #20
diggernet wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it should be local-first. Private and offline by default. There could certainly be sync integrations using AT, Dropbox, iCloud, etc. Those could even be separate apps, using the same API to access the data. But that sort of thing should be secondary and optional.

Do you have any thoughts on data structure for local storage?

We already do local bookmark backup, and use KML natively I think. It just doesn't sync, resolving sync conflicts is hard.
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