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Has anyone used or contributed to OpenStreetMap?

I’ve tried using it over the years but I never liked it because there was no information. So last night I looked at my local city and there is almost no information at all. I spent a few hours last night adding buildings and restaurants and removing incorrect items. It was actually kind of fun and therapeutic and I plan to do more of it tonight. My girlfriend thinks it’s dumb and I’m wasting my time because Google maps and Apple maps and Bing maps exists but she just doesn’t understand open source.

Edit: Apologies, I just realized this question is not Linux specific.

Spiracle ,
@Spiracle@kbin.social avatar

OsmAnd is my family’s go-to app for navigation. I didn’t notice it missing information compared to Google Maps. The opposite really, with several hiking trails or small side-roads not being on Google some years ago. The only issue it has is navigation for more than ~200km at a time. Often, it just times out if you try that. That’s why Google Maps is still installed on some devices.

I haven’t added anything actively. I think I might have enabled an option to send location data to improve the accuracy of the streets or something at some point, but I’m very unsure about that one.

M_Reimer ,

I’m contributing a lot in my area.

I started because I needed a customizable online map for a website and no map out there was really complete where I needed. So instead of waiting for commercial services, I started to log ways using GPS and add them to OSM.

sab ,

How do you log paths? If with an android phone, which app? And is it power intensive?

I do quite a bit of hiking, usually everything is well marked at OSM but there are some exceptions.

M_Reimer ,

Vespucci. But I often have an external GPS connected via Bluetooth which is way more precise than the phone GPS.

But for a quick edit on the go, the app and the phone’s built in GPS is all you need.

sab ,

Downloaded! Thank you. :)

varaki , (edited )
@varaki@lemmy.world avatar

I already did a small modification on our street we live in, because it was not a one-way street anymore. But we also have a vacation home on a vineyard where the road does not even exist and I figured if I can log gps coordinations while going up to the gate then maybe I can use those coordinates to import them as a way in OpenStreetMap to be precise. Or, since it exists on google maps, maybe getting coordination data from there and use that to create the way. Is something like this possible?

M_Reimer ,

You have to use data you created yourself. It is not allowed to use proprietary data from Google. If you use Android, then the Vespucci app may help you. Allows to log the way and then directly add it.

dknelson ,

The simplest way is to trace it on the starllite imagery available on the editor built-in to osm.org. If it’s not visible there, here is the wiki’s list of Android apps that can record GPS tracks, and it’s not hard to find the other pages on the wiki about getting those off your phone and into the map. Some of those apps can probably do that bit for you, I’ve just never tried

centopus ,
@centopus@kbin.social avatar

I regularly do edits in my city. Its way better than google maps. Especially when you're travelling and want to visit the less tourist crowded parts of whereever you are.

jman6495 ,

I’ve been contributing a lot via StreetComplete, what is also great is that you can use OSM offline!

caferetro ,
@caferetro@kbin.social avatar

I have, using OSMAnd on iOS. Here in Puerto Rico there are quite a good amount of map details already.

dedale ,
@dedale@kbin.social avatar

Where I live it's much more complete than google maps, especially in the countryside.

borlax ,
@borlax@lemmy.borlax.com avatar

I love the idea of OSM, been trying to use MagicEarth on iPhone which leverages OSM, but I run into similar issues that your describe. I’ll be honest tho, I never even thought of trying to contribute, may look into it as a little hobby in my free time.

INeedMana ,
@INeedMana@lemmy.world avatar

I use OsmAnd~. Mainly to analyze my skating routes (average speed, distance, etc) and planning sightseeing routes when on vacation.

For finding commute an app from local public transport is still the best and google maps are better than osmand, but for navigation on foot it’s very good. And you can download the region earlier, so when you use it, you don’t need that much data.

arandomthought ,

I had the same experience. OsmAnd seems to be better for planning routes on foot than Google maps. Where Google Maps is clearly better is for info about businesses and stores.

Grangle1 ,

OSMAnd is how I use OpenStreetMap too. It’s quite good for road routes even in rural areas, but especially in those rural areas finding specific locations can be spotty or outdated. Even in my town of over 100,000, I still have trouble finding some local places like restaurants and businesses. I always try searching for what I’m looking for before I leave home, so I have access to my computer to pull up a map and address to pin onto OSMAnd if I need to. (I’m someone who de-Googles as much as humanly possible so I don’t use Google Maps.) With more up-to-date data it can be a great alternative to Google or Apple Maps, but that’s the nature of crowd built data: it’s only as up-to-date as the data contributors provide, and that’s both a strength and a weakness of OSM.

INeedMana ,
@INeedMana@lemmy.world avatar

In ideal world it would be businesses putting info about them in OSM, same as they do with Google maps now.

Until then it has to be us putting them on the map, I guess

ripe_banana , (edited )
@ripe_banana@lemmy.world avatar

I found OsmAnd~ to not only be good on foot, but also on bike. It sometimes plans more aggressive routes than google which saves time (side streets for less distance, opposite directions on one ways…). Take this with a grain of salt though, because I ride primarily in NYC.

INeedMana ,
@INeedMana@lemmy.world avatar

What Google does (I see it as remains from early days of how it became good) is it takes into consideration the route other people took. So if a lot of people do an illegal u-turn, there’s high probability you’ll be proposed such route too.
It works the other way round too. If a lot of people don’t take an optimal route for whatever reason, there’s less probability it’ll propose it to you.

OsmAnd just tries to connect the dots postman-np-problem style

itchy_lizard ,

I actually find OSMAnd is great for busses because you can quickly see all the bus routes as lines and figure out which you need to take.

Ifinsd most cities just make a PDF that doesn’t have as much detail and you can’t pinch-zoom and pan around quickly. And their guides specify neighbourhoods or destinations whose names you’re not familiar with

themarty27 ,

It’s not even so much about F(L)OSS for me, it’s mainly about privacy. Haven’t contributed so far, but been using it through Organic Maps. OSM lacks no address in my town, and that’s enough for me. I only need a map to get frow A to B, and I’d already know what’s at B if I’m going there in the first place.

sab ,

After trying a bunch of FOSS map apps, Organic Maps comes across to me as completely superior. It's not as good as Google Maps for finding businesses and restaurants in most cities, but it's vastly superior for trails in the country side.

Also, you can contribute to OSM directly from Organic Maps, so if a restaurant is missing it can be added in a few seconds. :)

NaturalEnganche ,

I’ve not contributed to the main one, but I have for the humanitarian osm team, you get recently disaster stricken areas and copy roads and buildings and the like

JaxiiRuff ,
@JaxiiRuff@pawb.social avatar

OSM is an awesome project I agree it is fun contributing to it but it is not as useful yet due to what you describe, details.

Finding addresses and other specific information is very hit or miss in some areas. Especially in the US where no one really cares about it other than tech corporations using it for quick info like street layouts.

My entire city has address numbers missing and for a long time I used an app on my phone (StreetComplete) to fix address numbers and other various details. But it can be overwhelming very quickly depending on how outdated or not updated your place is. Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time by the way.

abeorch ,

Try Everydoor as well. Another StreetComplete like App that’s great for adding simple items

EugeneNine ,

I use it a lot. I’m finding things like hiking trails are more up to date than Google maps

Coeus OP ,

I’ve noticed there are nature trails missing so I would like to add those.

larmicon ,
@larmicon@feddit.de avatar

I’ve been contributing to it via Street complete (can get it on fdroid) and it has become quite a hobby of mine.

Coeus OP ,

I’ll check it out thanks for the suggestion

m3adow ,
@m3adow@feddit.de avatar

Same. It’s nice to contribute a little on the side. Using Vespucci for a new house was too much of a hassle for me though.

Undearius ,
@Undearius@lemmy.ca avatar

Probably the best way to contribute buildings is using the JOSM editor and the buildings plug-in.

It’s only available on the computer and it has quite the learning curve, but it’s a very powerful tool for serious editing. Usually the iD editor is good enough for easier editing than on mobile.

azimir ,

I’ve started using StreetComplete. It’s a great tool for wandering around and putting in data to OSM.

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