OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap

Posted Sep 21, 2007 9:36 UTC (Fri) by brwk (guest, #6849)
In reply to: OpenStreetMap by yodermk
Parent article: Geographic display and input using Marble

As a pretty keen OSM mapper myself I'd say come and join us! It's a nice way of contributing back to the free-rather-than-licensed knowledge community - it's a pretty accessible project for those who want to contribute but don't have the time or inclination to write code. I've found it a lot of fun finding all the alternative ways to and from work, friends, etc in order to fill out the map in my area.

I'm amused you mention Portland OR 'cos I know that some significant portions of the downtown were mapped by a fellow Brit while attending a conference there. Personally, I added the I-90 between Chicago and Madison WI, much of Madison WI and the route up to Green Bay WI. I plan to do a bit of the area south of Boston MA when I visit next month...

I'm really excited about the idea of an application like marble taking on the task of using the OSM data - this is what it really needs to get going in a big way - an accessible application which shows people why it's so much better to have the data local and accessible rather than served up in processed-cheese style portions in multiple images which can't be used in any way other than the most simplistic. The moving laptop is an obvious place to want map data, but unless you license software and maps at great cost, it is denied to you. This is exactly the same restrictive practices that free software is about freeing people from. Come on guys, get a GPS receiver, get out there, map your neighborhood and upload it. If we can free the simple knowledge of maps for all to share, we'll have done a really good thing.

Regards, Bevis.

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