Has anyone used or contributed to OpenStreetMap?

Coeus@coeus.sbs to Linux@lemmy.ml – 639 points –

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.

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I'm curious where you live that there isn't much mapping data. I've used StreetComplete for a few years, everywhere I've been wherever I've travelled all over the world. Wherever I go, there's already so much data and it's already so detailed, that the only stuff StreetComplete can give me is "what kind of paving stones are used on this sidewalk?" and "how many floors are in this apartment building 3 blocks away?"

I've used StreetComplete for a while. It tends to ask me about things that are important to disabled users, like whether pedestrian crossings are designed for blind people or for users of mobility devices. It feels good to help empower them to navigate the environment, even if I never meet them.

StreetComplete is perhaps the easiest and maybe best way to contribute as it is on rails. Constraining input for newer users is great. If your area is saturated with information I look at that as a win for the open community as a whole, but I understand the desire to add more.

There is SCEE which has advanced features and more editing options but I haven't explored it yet. I am just happy something like StreetComplete exists to allow me to contribute in a meaningful way without adding garbage data.

I prefer Organic Maps for mobile mapping. I feel like Street Complete focuses too much on things that don't matter much, whereas Organic Maps editing is more POI focused.

Oh I wasn't aware of Organic Maps. I will check it out. Thanks! I'm in an undermapped area so I can often add sidewalks, addresses, and lighting.

I live in the Midwest United States. The city I live in has a population of around 40,000. The roads are there but almost no businesses.

Hey I have never contributed to OSM and I just looked at https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.westnordost.streetcomplete/ on fdroid and there is a warning about "This app promotes or depends entirely on a non-free network service". Do you know which non-free network this is referring to?

I'm not sure, but that's very curious! Maybe they're considering OSM itself non-free?