

Why the World Needs OpenStreetMap - eevilspock
http://blog.emacsen.net/blog/2014/01/04/why-the-world-needs-openstreetmap/

======
morganherlocker
There were a lot of things discussed here in the original post of this that
were lost in the HN outage. Things that stood out to me from memory/ links and
stuff/ some of my own thoughts:

\- OSM does not always show some data. This does not really matter because the
vector data is all available, and the openstreetmaps.org basemap is just one
rendering of many. A good example of this is mapbox, which is one of the most
beautiful basemaps out there.

\- If you see something wrong, you can just hit the edit button and use the
web editor (Id), which is super easy and contains more metadata than any other
map app in this category. For example, I used this yesterday to find the type
of pavement on a bike route near my house.

\- Google spends 1 billion + per year on maps. This is likely primarily a)
streets and b) data/company aquisitions which may not meet quite the same
standards as OSM. The fact that OSM editors are obsessed with detail in their
local area probably explains a lot.

\- A map of the world should be something we all own. No company should have a
monopoly on how we perceive the world around us, but companies should still be
able to commercialize this stuff (like mapbox and others are doing).

\- One point of contention that came up in the discussion was whether or not
OSS can really compete with commercial solutions when there is so much money
involved. Counter points to this are that mapping the whole world is something
that requires a large networking effect and is not efficient for a company to
do.

\- GIS is one industry that has been seriously plagued by corporate wrangling.
From the servers to the analysis apps to the geoprocessing engines to the
underlying data; much of the innovation is hindered by companies locking down
what they have (often with governmental tacit support, which exacerbates the
problem quite a bit).

\- There are many efforts to combat the monopoly-holder's/government's iron
grip on this information and processing ability. Among these efforts that are
hot on my radar include:

\- QGIS: an open source gis desktop application that just saw amazing
improvements with a 2.0.

[http://www.qgis.org/en/site/](http://www.qgis.org/en/site/)

\- TileMill: an application that allows you to create custom basemaps. This
was previously a process that required a expensive software and collection of
phds.

[https://www.mapbox.com/tilemill/](https://www.mapbox.com/tilemill/)

\- OSM: open map data that allows for almost infinite possibilities, since it
lets you easily correct an error or download data and render it however you
want.

[http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=5/51.500/-0.100](http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=5/51.500/-0.100)

\- mapschool: A cool intro to GIS which has the potential to displace a lot of
the overcomplicated training programs that have an inherent bias towards
particular proprietary tools.

[http://macwright.org/mapschool/](http://macwright.org/mapschool/)

\- Leaflet: a js library for client side map rendering. It is without a doubt
easier to use than any of the alternatives, and tends to handle mobile better
to boot.

[http://leafletjs.com/](http://leafletjs.com/)

\- d3: A slick data visualization js lib sort of like jquery for data that can
create mind blowing charts and maps.

[http://d3js.org/](http://d3js.org/)

\- turf: a node.js library I have been working on (yeah, shameless plug) that
aims to create a server side or client side full featured geospatial
processing/stats engine with an easy to use api. The inspiration was largely
taken from GRASS and my main goal was beating the hell out of arcpy on
performance (it is orders of magnitude faster on the metrics I cared about
when writing it).

[http://morganherlocker.com/post/turf](http://morganherlocker.com/post/turf)

~~~
pmuk
I posted a link to a "Year of Edits" video as well to visually demonstrate the
progress that is being made -
[http://vimeo.com/48984270](http://vimeo.com/48984270)

------
c0nsumer
I love OpenStreetMap, see it as sort of like Wikipedia for cartographic data,
and regularly use it as both a repository and source for data I collect about
mountain bike and hiking trails. I then use this to make print maps; part of
my work with a local mountain biking advocacy non-profit. In fact, just
yesterday while watching a storm blow outside my window I put this one
together:

[http://mmba.org/library/maps/baldmountainnorth/latest.pdf](http://mmba.org/library/maps/baldmountainnorth/latest.pdf)

I don't really contribute the data I collect to Google Maps because it's much
more one-way... Sure, I get to use their mapping site, but I can't get the
data back for making print maps.

If anyone is interested in the general process I follow for it, that can be
found here:

[https://nuxx.net/blog/2012/06/05/mtb-trail-mapping-
workflow-...](https://nuxx.net/blog/2012/06/05/mtb-trail-mapping-workflow-
with-openstreetmaps/)

~~~
photojosh
As someone who benefits from people who do this, even though I'm in Australia:
thanks!

(The local MTB volunteer group keeps the trails in impeccable condition, us
trail runners enjoy.)

~~~
c0nsumer
You're welcome. :) I've found that trail runners make great trail advocates as
well. Both of our groups tend to enjoy the same sort of conditions and usually
get along great.

------
richardw
What do you use for Geocoding? (for use in a web app that isn't open, so can't
use Google etc.)

MapBox does a great job of the maps but the very next thing I want is to
search for an address. Back to square one.

OSM uses MapQuest but I'm unsure how licensing and quality affects real-world
apps. Is the open data good enough? Is there a sub-$2500 commercial offering
that doesn't suck?

E.g. MapQuest's FAQ: [http://developer.mapquest.com/web/tools/getting-
started/plat...](http://developer.mapquest.com/web/tools/getting-
started/platform/dev-faq)

 _How can I use geocodes?

Geocoding usage in the Community Edition on Licensed Data is limited to only
the locations entered by an end user or that you have uploaded through our
Data Manager tool. Geocodes under the Community Edition on Licensed Data
cannot be stored for use outside the MapQuest service. If you would like more
flexible options for geocode use, please contact MapQuest Platform Services to
learn more about our extended rights geocoding product. Geocoding on Open Data
has different terms, please check the Terms of Use for details._

Wikipedia has many:

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocoding#List_of_geocoding_sys...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocoding#List_of_geocoding_systems)

What do you use?

~~~
Doctor_Fegg
Slight confusion here:

OSM uses its own service, Nominatim, as tommorris has posted. It's OSM's own
code using OSM data. The data and code are both free, but the osm.org servers
have limited capacity; you can download the code and data and run it yourself
if you like.

Mapquest Open runs an instance of this. MQ's servers are beefier so they have
more liberal usage than osm.org's instance.

'Mainstream' Mapquest uses commercial data and therefore has pretty strict
ToUs. Those are the ones you've quoted above: they don't apply to Mapquest
Open.

~~~
richardw
I'm heading towards using the MapQuest Open myself, which seems to be a good
default.

I think a heatmap of OSM quality would help a lot. Does such a thing exist?

~~~
tommorris
There's not really a good metric of "OSM quality" yet.

The only things I can suggest are:

\- issues: number reported, number closed, diversity of reporters and closers
- on the basis that if lots ofpeople are reporting issues, that means "many
eyes make all bugs shallow" might be working. If lots of people are closing
them, then someone is actually paying some attention.

\- tag diversity. Human mappers tend to actually use a fairly wide variety of
tags for points of interest.

\- some measure of how much the data that has been imported from, say,
government public domain GIS datasets, has been modified.

\- last update

\- presence of house/building names and numbers

There's a bunch of similar stuff up at
[http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Quality_assurance](http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Quality_assurance)

------
tambourine_man
The old discussion is still on Google's cache (for now):

[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PmyjVge...](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PmyjVgeonQIJ:https://news.ycombinator.com/item%3Fid%3D7015294+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk)

------
ehamberg
Can anyone recommend an iPhone app for _viewing_ maps and getting directions?
The OSM wiki lists a lot of apps [1], but they seem to be of varying quality.
I'd love to be able to use something that's close in functionality and
simplicity of the Google Maps app.

[1]
[http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Apple_iOS](http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Apple_iOS)

~~~
cyann
There is Map With Me [1] that was recommended previously. I bought the Pro
version and it's very fast (maps are downloaded and cached in the device), but
no directions.

[1] Lite version to try:
[https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id431183278](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id431183278)

------
rahimnathwani
The comments lost during the outage are still on hnsearch:
[https://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=openstreetmap&...](https://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=openstreetmap&sortby=create_ts+desc)

------
rahimnathwani
I recently started using 'Gomap!!!' to edit locations near my home:
[https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftw...](https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=592990211&mt=8)

I was surprised at how easy and intuitive it is.

~~~
tommorris
Have you tried Pushpin? I've tried Go Map but I found it powerful but a bit
slow. Pushpin is intended for editing details of POIs like shops and
businesses while Go Map lets you do more comprehensive mapping.

Since installing Pushpin, the amount of stuff I've been adding has gone
through the roof. [http://pushpinosm.org/](http://pushpinosm.org/)

~~~
kreilly
Thanks for the recommendation. I've been looking for this exact thing. Go Map
is ok, but PushPin really does have the "I'm here now and want to add the
location easily" use case nailed.

Side note: This illustrates how crappy the App Store is for discovery. I've
searched for all variations on "OSM editor" and never found this one.

~~~
tommorris
I've been using it for a while and it handles most of the things I've tried to
enter. The only thing I've not been able to add using Pushpin is the many
bookmakers/betting shops I find in London. I'm going to email the developer
later and ask him to add it.

------
sztanko
OpenStreetMap is unique. It is the only global and free source of cartographic
data. My circular hiking route generator (walks.io) would not exist without
it.

Although I believe it has the same problem Ubuntu has - it is geek driven and
utterly unsexy for others. It has been acknowledged by OSM-ers themselves and
a substantial amount of work is being done currently in direction of
democratisation of OSM (although I don't know how successful it is going to
be)

Mapbox is putting a lot of effort into it currently and I hope the situation
will change within the next year.

I personally think the best thing you can do in popularisation of OSM is
creating projects based on it.

~~~
tommorris
walks.io looks really interesting. I've just moved to London and was looking
for ways to get out and explore the urban jungle. That's really nifty.

~~~
sztanko
enjoy :)

~~~
tommorris
I posted walks.io to the openstreetmap section on Reddit.

[http://www.reddit.com/r/openstreetmap/comments/1umqpq/walksi...](http://www.reddit.com/r/openstreetmap/comments/1umqpq/walksio_type_in_name_of_english_train_station_get/)

------
thomasmeeks
OpenStreetMap is pretty amazing. Leafletjs is a great way to display that data
on the web. Tiles from cloudmade or mapquest compliment it nicely.

Really nice replacement for gmaps should you ever need it.

------
beagle3
(reviving from the old thread), I'd like to point out Doctor_Fegg's
[http://switch2osm.org/](http://switch2osm.org/) , which helps switching from
using Google Maps (and others) to Open Street Maps, and includes info on APIs,
how to set up a local tile server, and lots of other great things.

@Doctor_Fegg: Thanks!

~~~
Doctor_Fegg
Thank you! Only website I've ever built that's been slashdotted. ;)

------
lnanek2
It's pretty useful for Google Glass hacking. Google has decided not to include
the Google Maps Android API for now, maybe to force you to use their crippled
Mirror API options that are more battery friendly, but OpenStreetMap works
good. And there are uses cases that only it and the Android API can handle.

------
ZeroGravitas
Like many similar issues it's a collective action problem. If everyone used
OpenStreetMap then it would be much better than the alternatives and so become
the defacto choice, as linux is now in many areas.

But since you can't get everyone to shift at once, you'll see a similar
pattern where it eats away at small niches until it gains critical mass
(assuming it does, which I think is very likely, but not inevitable).

------
dasmithii
I'm wondering how feasible it would be to extract useful information from cell
phone GPS data. Given a bird's eye view heat map of the ground, would it be
possible to approximate road curvature?

This, of course, wouldn't correlate street names with paths taken by people;
that would have to be done elsewhere.

~~~
maxerickson
You might like this:

[https://www.mapbox.com/blog/openstreetmap-gps-
layer/](https://www.mapbox.com/blog/openstreetmap-gps-layer/)

