OpenStreetMap
www.openstreetmap.org
OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.nl/post/33407329

We’ve all already talked about switching away from google/apple maps to something like openstreetmaps, mapy, tomtom amigo, etc. But all of these services use openstreetmaps (UK non-profit) as a source and they still miss a lot of local data even for bigger cities!

If you have some spare time, think about adding a bit of data to the map with your local knowledge. There’s a lot of business data missing that is on google maps like websites, phone numbers and opening hours but also stuff like parking lots and whether they’re publicly accessible and free or not. Adding these makes the competition of ALL services using OSM as a source better.

I also use the mobile app https://streetcomplete.app/ and https://every-door.app/ to add data while on my walks, these make my walks more engaging and I actually take longer ones + see new places because of it. Streetcomplete also has a focus on important and easy to collect data with their default filters, and you can choose what you want to contribute.

If you really want to get into the thick of it and contribute more than just simple data you can always check out https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/How_to_contribute and see in which of the many ways you can contribute!

  • P03 Locke@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    3·
    11 hours ago

    I’m trying, but it’s hard to stay motivated when the information on a lot of local areas I visit are so damn old.

    There are entire areas where it looks like it acquired the data 5-10 years ago from some other mapping software (Google, Bing, something else), and hasn’t updated since. It didn’t have all of my street information for my neighborhood area, so I started there first. I didn’t really mind it too much, because, hey, Google didn’t have it filled in several years ago, either. I started using Vespucci and drew out some of the houses and streets.

    But, as soon as I expand out, there are strip malls with really outdated information. StreetComplete tries to ask me questions about these places that were replaced long ago, and it doesn’t have the tools to allow me to carve out sections of the strip mall, since it only thinks there are two shops, but there’s now 8-10 shops. So, I go back to Vespucci and try to fill it out, but I only have so much time before I’m going to some other location, and I don’t really have the time to draw out even the map details in the place where I’m parked. I feel like I’m the only one that bothers and the entire city is out-of-date. It’s overwhelming.

    If bots somehow got this information back then, then why can’t it pull this data now? Certain sections and entire cities desperately need a refresh.

    • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org
      8·
      20 hours ago

      It’s made like a game!

      This app finds missing map data in your vicinity and displays it on a map as quests. Solve each quest by visiting the location on-site and answering a simple question to update the map.

      • smeg@feddit.ukEnglish
        5·
        19 hours ago

        Definitely ticks the “something interesting to do out on a walk” box that pokémon go did

        • hash@slrpnk.netEnglish
          3·
          14 hours ago

          I was actually doing some mapping once and was asked if I was also there for the pokemon go event.

    • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
      1·
      14 hours ago

      I found this to ask way too many super random questions about an individual area. Like I answered a couple dozen repetitive questions without ever leaving my neighborhood. Seems like they don’t have any sort of prioritization.

      • Ruthalas@infosec.pub
        1·
        5 hours ago

        If you go into the settings, you can choose to hide some types of quests. Turning off the ones about road surface material, for example, can reduce the repetition a lot.

      • smeg@feddit.ukEnglish
        1·
        13 hours ago

        It’s not like it gives you questions in a particular order, it just puts a pin on the map everywhere there’s missing information. For instance if your neighbourhood only had house numbers missing then that’s all you’ll see nearby, other places could be completely different.

    • un_ax@lemmy.sdf.org
      5·
      10 hours ago

      EveryDoor works well on iOS for simple things like updating or adding shops etc.

      “Go Map!!” is another one, and while I find it’s interface a bit harder to work with, it has a “Quests” setting, which lets you configure a filter of missing tags that show up on the map.

      • dblsaiko@discuss.tchncs.de
        1·
        8 hours ago

        +1 for Go Map!!, it’s what I use to map on the go.

        For anything more complex it can’t do such as multipolygon edits or aligning nodes in a line or other polishing I then send the change to JOSM on the computer if necessary.

  • Lime Buzz (fae/she)@beehaw.orgEnglish
    3·
    14 hours ago

    Can this be done offline on Android devices and uploaded later? We ask because we currently have no data on our phone and it would be useful to edit when out, and then upload when we get back home.

  • LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    8·
    19 hours ago

    Thank you for sharing these apps! Have been looking for this exact kind of thing ever since I abandoned Google maps. I contributed to Google maps for years. It’ll be nice to contribute to something I believe in instead.

    • Kualdir@feddit.nlOP
      5·
      19 hours ago

      Enjoy! Same here! You can also contribute on mapy by doing reviews and uploading photos there!

    • freeman@feddit.org
      4·
      17 hours ago

      I found that one very cluttered/unintuitive and not at all beginnerfriendly. I resorted to StreetComplete, not quite the same but gives the same feeling while mapping the details from my surroundings. Its soo satisfying!

  • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org
    9·
    21 hours ago

    OSMAnd~ also has the option to edit.

    I did it a few times, it really isn’t hard! Just adding or fixing POIs though; I wouldn’t know how to add or fix a wrongly placed house/path etc.

  • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
    1·
    14 hours ago

    If I wanted to add some off-road bike trails to OSM, how would I got about doing that?

  • flora_explora@beehaw.org
    2·
    17 hours ago

    Oh nice, I’ve thought about contributing to osm for a long time but this makes it so much easier to do that!!

    I’ve looked into what I can do in my close vicinity and there are many roads that still miss their width. However, the app suggests to install an app (streetmeasure) to measure the width. This app is however based on Google AR services (that don’t work on my degoogled phone. How do you guys deal with that? Do you just ignore those tasks or do you guesstimate the road width by eye?

    Oh, and another thing: If you like something to do on your walks, may I suggest also looking into iNaturalist (and the companion app Seek), too. While you are walking around you can find so much stuff out there that you’ve previously overlooked. When I go through any street now I spot bugs and plants everywhere!