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Organic Maps

organicmaps.app

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Re: Organic Maps

#241

Post by everybodyknows »

david-gpu wrote: post #100
eisa01 wrote: post #4

Organic Maps was my go to app for a navigation app where you can fix errors yourself immediately! So much better than having to work for free on the proprietary apps, and hope they accept your edits There’s a fork from one year ago, CoMaps, that is gaining different features E.g., I am adding CarPlay Dashboard support that you can test by joining the TestFlight We are in great need of both more testers and some prope…

All these apps rely on the data provided by OpenStreetMap (OSM). It is a Wikipedia-like project where anybody can contribute edits. https://www.openstreetmap.org/

For business operators this can be done with a low-friction web page: https://www.onosm.org/

Re: Organic Maps

#242

Post by seb1204 »

roysting wrote: post #145
nekusar wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I prefer Google Maps cause they'll tell you where pigs camp out. Saved me a lot of speeding tickets on the interstate.

Waze is way better for that and where Google gets its data, but delayed it seems, because they’re both Alphabet.

Fwiw, Waze is owned by Google. Google acquired the crowd-sourced navigation app in 2013.

Re: Organic Maps

#243

Post by ihatehn »

superjan wrote: post #185
trueno wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

do these damn projects even push the proposed edits up back to openstreetmap? insanely shameful if not

They can’t do so automatically. Osm Editors must approve. Apparantly OSM fears legislation when people copy info from google maps. They like to see evidence, like street sign photos. In my limited experience anyway.

This isn't true, I don't know any FOSS OSM apps that have any approval process.

Re: Organic Maps

#244

Post by ihatehn »

embedding-shape wrote: post #161
mbirth wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s Magic Earth which uses OSM map data but also integrates live traffic information. Not sure whether it works in India, though. https://www.magicearth.com/

Have they tried/are there any plans of upstreaming that somehow? While I rely on proprietary services for car navigation today, if I move to a OSM-based services next, I'd want it to be similarly structured to actual OSM, not some proprietary bolted-on-top-of-OSM startup that will disappear/enshittificate within years.

M.E. is closed source and some would argue somewhat enshittifying

Re: Organic Maps

#245

Post by ihatehn »

z3ugma wrote: post #193
Yacoby wrote: post #3

There is also CoMaps ( https://www.comaps.app/ ) which is a fork of Organic Maps, after concern over the governance of Organic Maps https://itsfoss.com/news/organic-maps-fork-comaps/

Just downloaded CoMaps. Why does it start with a zoomed out view of the entire world, especially given that I gave it location services and it shows my current location (in North America). The very first UX experience this app gives is "I am primarily for people interested in maps and geography" Contrast this with Apple Maps - when you open it, there are 4 big tap controls for actions like "Home" "Work", a search bar…

It should zoom in and automatically download.

Re: Organic Maps

#246

Post by ihatehn »

hirako2000 wrote: post #44
Yacoby wrote: post #3

There is also CoMaps ( https://www.comaps.app/ ) which is a fork of Organic Maps, after concern over the governance of Organic Maps https://itsfoss.com/news/organic-maps-fork-comaps/

what are the concerns over governance of organics maps ?

https://www.comaps.app/news/2025-04-16/1/

Re: Organic Maps

#247

Post by ihatehn »

dzogchen wrote: post #191
hellcow wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They tried to put ads into Organic Maps, and they only backed down because CoMaps sprung up in response. Others in the thread highlighted other issues, like Organic Maps' proprietary license for some parts of the repo: https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps/blob/master/DATA_... .

‘Ads’ is a bit of a stretch. They put opt-in referral links.

I don't think there was an opt-in, at least at first. The Kayak links were there and they had a generic OM referral code attached so they got the credit

Re: Organic Maps

#248

Post by ihatehn »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #224
TFNA wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not common for American for-profit corporations to accept donations. What you are paying is a retail price for Apple products. (Post edited after a check of the legality, but donating to Apple would still be highly unusual, and if the parent admits to doing this, he’s not going to get any less grief.)

> As a USA for-profit corporation, Apple is unable to accept donations I don't think this is true. You can donate to a for-profit corporation. It just counts as income to them and isn't deductible to you.

How does Apple accept donations?

Re: Organic Maps

#249

Post by ihatehn »

TheRoque wrote: post #236
lone-cloud wrote: post #71

I would recommend people use comaps instead which is the actual FOSS fork. OM has a long history of malicious behaviour like quietly adding ads, turning a part of its previously open sourced code proprietary and misappropriating donations. OM has lost most of its community a year ago to comaps and are now rushing vibe coded features to compensate.

Thanks for the heads up, I wasn't not aware of that. I never got a single ad in OM though

It's the Kayak referral links on hotel POIs, which some people consider ads

Re: Organic Maps

#250

Post by ihatehn »

technothrasher wrote: post #205
VariousPrograms wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a good way to get outside and do challenges like jogging every single street in your town. I figured that OSM was basically complete, but info was severely lacking for my area. It’s really easy to make local maps MUCH better.

I noticed that when I used one of these OSM based nagivation apps (I forget which one now), it suggested I leave my house by heading over my retaining wall, driving down a wooded hill, through a swamp, and then onto a nearby road. But because it was OSM based, I was able to discover the problem, fix it, and then when the app updated their data, the issue went away. I have since noticed, to my frustration, that whatev…

I think Uber might use OSM, but might not update very often, or might use different logic than other apps
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