[Accessibility] Confused about the whole blind osm process and things

[Lulu-Ann]

Hello Jerry

> I am currently using the Talks screen reader on the Nokia N82 cell
> phone. I would like to switch to a Windows Mobile phone at some point,
> but not sure if there's much for the Open Street Map project on that
> platform, at least as for as accessability goes.
This mailing list is about the new project now called LoroDux (formerly
Via-Dux), which will run on java mobile devices, independent of the
operating system.
The first version will be finished approximately in July 2010, we hope
to publish some beta version for mailing list subscribers in advance.

> I live in Salt Lake City, Utah in the USA. My zipcode here is 84101,
> if that helps.

Salt Lake City looks very good on the map, a close network of streets,
many named and outlined buildings.

Up to now there is no mapper adding information of special interest to
the map there (pedestrian traffic signals with sound etc.)

>  Let's see. I think there are some things around here on
> the map, that I was able to determine by the Loadstone conversion
> tools, but there seemed to be a lot of duplicates, and it didn't seem
> good enough to really tell where I was. 
Did you put OSM conversion and loadstone point share into the same
database? Of course that will cause lots of duplicates.

The OSM page on Salt Lake City sais:
quote:
Much of the existing data comes from the TIGER and GNIS imports. Both
datasets suffer from being significantly out-of-alignment from reality.
If you see an object that doesn't match up with where it should be, feel
free to adjust it into line or redraw it in a more accurate location.
The Yahoo imagery and GPS tracks tend to be accurate. TIGER data in the
outer metropolitan areas is better aligned than that in the inner city.
End of quote.


This might be another reason for duplicates.


> I kept having to load the
> database from the Point Share Exchange site on the Loadstone page, and
> the problem with those is the addresses are entered wrong, and they
> don't have spacific points of interest, like grocery stores and
> schools and things. 

The loadstone point share exchange has nothing to do with OSM.
To find out how the data quality is, you will have to try with only OSM
conversion in the database.

> So, yeah. Whatever I can do to help I will. Could
> you give me an example of something I can do? Let's say I want to be
> able to assist in getting a better representation of what's around me?
> And be able to have it added to the map. I make a empty Loadstone
> database file, and start my gps up and I start logging? then do I just
> put in Loadstone points of interest that I find of importance? I live
> on a street called West Temple. So, I just wonder how best to do this,
> if you could help me walk through an example?

To help to add point features to the map, you can do this:

Use your standard database to find your way around.
If you have a point of interest, save it with a name that somebody from
the other side of the world is able to tell exactly what it is.
(Not J-F-K-Drive X, but John-F.-Kennedy-Drive crossing with Mainstreet.
Not School for the blind, but Hannah Montana Salt Lake City school for
the blind and deaf, main entrance with 3 steps upstairs)
Use a special character at the beginning of the name, like Exclamation
mark, so you can tell later if it is a private point for yourself only,
or if it is a point you want to have transferred into OSM.

Export your loadstone database to a text file and mail it to me.
I will filter all points with an exclamation mark and add them one by
one to the map, making sure I do not add a duplicate.

I will try to transform the text file automatically so I do not need to
copy the coordinates.

Then remove all exclamation marks from your file before you collect
points again, so I will not have to check the same points a second time.


For the instructions how to add roads see the hyperlink in my last mail.

If anything is unclear, let me know at which step number.

Regards
Lulu-Ann

> On 2/16/10, Lulu-Ann at gmx.de <Lulu-Ann at gmx.de> wrote:
> > Hello Jerry!
> >
> > I think your question is placed here very well.
> >
> > Jerry, you wrote:
> >> I am blind, and I do have a Nokia N82, and I do have the
> >> latest Loadstone gps program.
> >
> > That's a good start.
> > Just because I'm curious: Which screenreader do you use?
> >
> >> I understand there's certain keywords
> >> that should be used for points of interest and things, but not sure
> >> how best to do it.
> >
> > At the moment there is no description available how to collect POIs with
> > loadstone GPS and transfer them to OpenStreetMap database.
> > Loadstone writes a "database" file in text format, which surely can be
> > converted to OSM file format if exact naming of POIs is made sure.
> >
> > But this naming is not invented yet, and even if it was, you could not
> > simply upload the POIs, because maybe they are already in the map and then
> > you have double entries.
> >
> > We are working on a program called Lorodux (formerly Via-Dux, it was renamed
> > because we don't want a name to similar to a registrated trademark). This
> > software shall be able to tell you if a POI is there and let you change the
> > position if unaccurate or let you add it if not in the map already.
> >
> >> And not sure I understand why doing the gps track
> >> nmei log thing is needed. Is that to have the visual representation of
> >> the streets? Let's say, for example, I go to a grocery store, and I
> >> want it to be available for others on open streetmap. What should I do
> >> in that case?
> >
> > The GPS track is needed to add missing streets to OSM.
> > When you are using Loadstone GPS with the OpenStreetMap converter, you have
> > imported street crossing information. If you encounter a street with
> > crossings that are not in the imported data, probably one or all streets at
> > that crossing are missing in OSM.
> > The OpenStreetMap converter(s) can be found on the loadstone homepage
> > http://www.loadstone-gps.com
> >
> > If you want to help to add a missing street, go there, turn the GPS logging
> > on, walk up the street on one side and down on the other. This is needed not
> > only for the visual representable information, but also for the chain of
> > coordinates.
> > Other than loadstone, future tools will also be able to guide you around
> > curves, not only from crossing to crossing.
> > If the street is connected to others, walk some meters into all connected
> > streets so the seeing kartographer knows there is a connection.
> >
> > More about how to choose keywords and how to upload the track is written on
> > http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/For_the_blind#I_am_blind_-_How_can_I_help_.3F__-_Project_blindOSM
> >
> > If you get stuck, please ask again.
> >
> >> If someone could please help me make this easier to
> >> understand the actual process, it would be much appreciated.
> >
> > You are very welcome!
> >
> > Will you tell us/me where you live?
> > I could have a glance at the map and tell you how complete it is in your
> > area.
> >
> > Maybe the two other blind mappers from India an Finland have more hints for
> > you.
> >
> > Best Regards
> > Lulu-Ann